The Dutchman’s starting lineup largely complied with the request to play better than on Monday night, when Wolverhampton Wanderers lost 1-0 at Old Trafford. However, the absence of a first-half goal proved costly this time, as Spurs’ comeback after the break resulted in them winning all three points.
Ten Hag was questioned about a variety of topics following the game, including the lack of goals, Cristian Romero’s demand for a penalty, being booked in the technical area, and more. Scroll down to read his most important statements to Sky and BBC, or see what he said to MUTV in the video below.
FIRST-HALF DISPLAY
“It was a very good performance in the first half, except we have to score. We created good chances. We had a really good press on the ball. We had good stretches where we had many chances to score a goal and we deserved a penalty.”
PENALTY DECISION
“I don’t know why it wasn’t a penalty. It was absolutely a penalty. He (Cristian Romero) changed the direction of the ball and his blocking hand was wide, above. But okay, you have to accept it.”
SWITCHING OFF IS COSTLY
“We quickly had three bookings and that can’t happen. We have to stay focused. Then we switched off in that one attack, they had two big chances and they hit twice the barrier (woodwork). So that wasn’t good. And then the start of the second half was definitely not good. You have to stay on the front foot and it was totally unnecessary to concede that goal. We didn’t collapse, we fought back, but we didn’t score.”
MIDFIELD WAS FINE
“I think our midfield played well. Of course we can always do better, but when you go for goal, you leave some spaces. But I think in the rest of it, in the defensive transition, we were better.”
MOUNT IN A DEEPER ROLE
“He did well. I think we dominated Spurs totally the first half, especially in the midfield area, and that was in and out of possession. Mason played an important part in that.”
ONE GOAL IN TWO GAMES
“I’m not [worried] by the attacking play but by scoring. That is the same issue. We know that. That’s why we signed a striker.”
POSITIVES IN THE PERFORMANCE
“On Monday the performance was not good, but the result was there. Today the [performance] was okay but we had to win here and we didn’t do that. In the process we take the positives but we also know the meaning of the first goal. We had to keep the belief at the start of the second half, keep the focus, be on the front foot and don’t be so passive in the moment when they scored the goal. It was totally unnecessary and that I think that changed the game.”
SCORE FIRST, IT’S OUR GAME
“When you lose, it’s never good and then you always have to look in the mirror. We have to score that goal to quieten the crowd, quieten the opponent. I think it was so quiet in the stadium in the first half because we took away the game and they didn’t have the belief. When you score, I think the game is ours. It’s not about adding to the team [in the last two weeks of the transfer market], it’s about having to score goals.”
BOOKING FOR THE BOSS
“It’s just that I made a comment. The ref didn’t appreciate it.”
START TO THE SEASON
“We are disappointed today and first we have to look to ourselves. We had to score that first goal because we created the chances. And the meaning of the first goal is very important in every Premier League game.”
