Manchester United have saved their season alive by reaching the FA Cup ultimate for a second straight yr however their chaotic show in opposition to Coventry leaves supervisor Erik ten Hag below intense strain.
United have been cruising at 3-0 up in opposition to the Championship aspect with 20 minutes to go at Wembley on Sunday earlier than their staggering collapse.
The Premier League membership had VAR to thank for escaping a humiliating 4-3 defeat within the ultimate moments of additional time.
Victor Torp’s “winner” despatched scores of United followers scurrying for the exits earlier than they realised the aim had been dominated out for a marginal offside.
Even then there was nonetheless time for extra drama, with Casemiro failing to transform United’s first penalty within the shootout earlier than they finally prevailed 4-2.
Ten Hag admitted his group “got away with it” however denied it was a humiliation, preferring as an alternative to concentrate on the achievement of reaching the ultimate in opposition to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
“I see we can play at very high levels but in the same match we can also go very low,” he mentioned. “That’s not explainable. It has to do with managing the game.
“I’ve to show my gamers, clearly. We need to do higher in such events.
“On several occasions we’ve let the result slip away but today we got away with it.”
Harry Maguire, the one match central defender on the membership, mentioned United confirmed “great character” to discover a well beyond Coventry, managed by former Red Devils striker Mark Robins.
But will Ten Hag be given the time he wants as he fends off a rising tide of criticism?
The Dutchman seemed to be on an upward curve in his first season in cost in 2022/23, ending a six-year trophy drought by lifting the League Cup and ending third within the Premier League.
But any lingering goodwill has all however disappeared as United limp towards the top of the marketing campaign.
The beleaguered membership, who’re realistically out of the working to qualify for subsequent season’s Champions League, haven’t received any of their previous 5 matches.
In 4 of these, together with the match at Wembley, they’ve carelessly tossed away profitable positions within the ultimate couple of minutes and they’re paying a heavy worth.
“We’re having the same conversation every week,” former United captain Roy Keane instructed ITV.
“With Man United you don’t know what you’re going to get. They are inconsistent, they give you chances, they always play in moments, that’s what they tend to do.”
He added: “I don’t see character in this group of players, I really don’t. I’m getting to the stage where I’m almost disliking them because I see what qualities they have.”
United are engaged in a wholesale shake-up of their backroom group below new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, who should decide on whether or not he has seen sufficient from the previous Ajax boss to present him one other likelihood.
Former Blackburn and Chelsea ahead Chris Sutton believes the style of United’s efficiency at Wembley has sealed Ten Hag’s destiny, despite the fact that they edged by means of.
“Erik ten Hag through to the Cup final but that performance will cement his sacking at the end of the season,” he tweeted.
Ten Hag can level to a punishing record of accidents to his defenders however should take some duty for the way in which a number of key gamers together with Casemiro, Marcus Rashford and Antony have badly underperformed this season.
United, seventh within the Premier League, will now concentrate on qualifying for Europe and getting ready for subsequent month’s daunting FA Cup ultimate date with holders City, who beat them at Wembley final yr.
Ex-United captain Gary Neville, now a Sky Sports pundit, mentioned United had saved themselves an “absolute battering” from critics however couldn’t make certain about Ten Hag’s destiny.
“If they’d have gone out… it would have been a shocking last three or four weeks to the end of the season,” he mentioned.
“Whether that changes the outcome of what happens to Erik ten Hag and the players is one thing, but what they have saved themselves is an absolute battering. They may get it for two or three days, but not four weeks.”
United chiefs have a call to make over the following few weeks and Ten Hag should show he has what it takes.
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Source: www.hindustantimes.com
