Erik ten Hag's new dawn preoccupied with same old problems

But, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe in attendance for the first time since he bought 25 per cent of the club before Christmas, ten Hag is running out of time, and excuses, if he wants to survive in charge beyond the end of the season.

Mon, 15 Jan, 2024 - 07:43

Ian Whittell, Old Trafford

THE phoney 'war' and the garish headlines are over in the Manchester United takeover saga and, as his side battled to an entertaining point against Tottenham last night, Erik ten Hag’s audition for the long-term job as manager began in earnest.

It is probably a sign of how far standards have fallen at Old Trafford that an often frantic draw with a sub-strength Spurs was lauded as a good result, especially with Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford both on the mark for a United team that has struggled badly for goals this season.

A recent, chronic injury-list is easing, for example, and United’s defence looked a lot more solid over the final half-hour after Lisandro Martinez came off the bench for his first action since September.

And an attack which had scored just 22 times in the first 20 league games - a worse mark than all but the bottom two in the table - looked a little more fit for purpose, although poor defending twice allowed the visitors to level, first through Richarlison and then Rodrigo Bentancur.

The second equaliser came within a minute of the restart, as ten Hag was still walking along the touchline to take his seat on the United bench, probably not an ideal impression to make on the new boss.

Perhaps, if Scott McTominay had not sent a 94th minute free, six-yard header flying over the bar, from an Alejandro Garnacho cross, the mood music might have been even more positive on the final whistle.

But, while Ratcliffe will have the ultimate say on how much longer ten Hag will hold that position, at least the growing form of Rashford and Hojlund suggests the second half of the current campaign may not be as dismal as the first had been.

“When the front players are not scoring it’s going through the whole team,” said ten Hag.

“It makes everyone insecure, starting with the front players. It makes them eager when they’re not scoring, they play with less confidence.

“Also in defending every goal we concede is a problem. But we know when we can put out Garnacho, Hojlund, Rashford and behind have Bruno and Eriksen we must be a threat. I hope they keep going. There is progress."

It was a night that ten Hag may feel should have ended in a victory after his side raced into a third minute lead with £72 million striker Hojlund scoring just his second league goal for the club.

Bruno Fernandes found Rashford whose progress was stopped by Destiny Udogie but, after the ball broke kindly for Hojlund, the £72 million Dane lashed home just his second league goal for the club, with a ferocious shot.

But the lead lasted just 16 minutes until Richarlison rose unmarked to head in Pedro Porro’s corner from inside the six-yard box.

In an end to end game, United thought they had re-gained the lead, following the first Spurs equaliser, when Udogie tried to clear Rashford’s 38th minute cross but headed it against the foot of his own post.

Tottenham escaped on that occasion but there was no reprieve two minutes later, when Fernandes pushed the ball inside to Rashford who immediately played a razor-sharp one-two with Hojlund. The England striker collected the return before burying his first home goal of the season past Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs themselves thought they had scored a second, moments before the half-time whistle, when Cristian Romero met another Porro corner and powered a header against the bar, again from close range although Spurs would not be denied within 50 seconds of the restart.

Spurs broke and loanee debutant Timo Werner cut in from the left, picking out Rodrigo Bentancur who ran on and beat Jonny Evans and Andre Onana from the edge of the six-yard box.

But, as had been the case throughout the half, there was no sense of United being able to take control of the game and, after their second goal, Spurs pushed to take the lead for the first time, going on to end the game with a remarkable 64 per cent possession.

Ten Hag could point to a first half penalty appeal not given when Udogie wrestled with Garnacho but, ultimately, he was left to ponder what Ratcliffe will have made of the display.

“He will have seen a team fighting for each other and trying to get a win,” said ten Hag.

“You have seen two great goals from our side but also what he would have noticed is we should be more man (up) when we have to defend corners.”

Had McTominay scored his late chance, defeat would have been harsh on Spurs and manager Ange Postecoglou, especially given the bout of illness that ravaged his already-depleted squad this week.

“I thought it was an outstanding performance, considering the team out there today,” he said.

“Every time these players have to deal with adversity, they have done it in an outstanding manner. I could not be more proud of them.”

MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): Onana 6; Dalot 5, Evans 5 (Martinez 63, 6), Varane 5, Wan-Bissaka 5; Mainoo 6, Eriksen 5 (McTominay 58, 6); Garnacho 6, Fernandes 7, Rashford 7 (Antony 87); Hojlund 8. Substitutes (not used) Bayindir, Casemiro, Heaton, Pellistri, Kambwala, Forson.

TOTTENHAM (4-1-4-1): Vicario 6; Porro 7, Romero 5, van de Ven 5 (Royal 89), Udogie 6; Hojbjerg 6; Johnson 5, Bentancur 8, Skipp 7 (Dragusin 84), Werner 6 (Gil 80); Richarlison 7. Substitutes (not used) Forster, Austin, Alonso, Donley, Dorrington.

Referee: J Brooks 7

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