Erik ten Hag hits out at ‘unfair’ Anthony Martial criticism as Man Utd boss insists ‘everyone is giving their best’ despite dire start to 2023-24 campaign

Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, defended Anthony Martial following his subpar display against Newcastle United on the weekend.

AHEAD OF TIME?

The French forward failed to leave his mark on the game and was replaced in the 62nd minute of United’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle United. It was a forgettable performance. When he was seen yelling at Martial, even manager Ten Hag was incensed about his lackluster performance. However, in the face of harsh criticism from all sides, the Dutch manager has now defended his player, stating that despite the team’s dismal start to the 2023–24 season, everyone is working hard to improve.

THOUGHS OF ERIK TEN HAG

“Anthony Martial played brilliantly against Everton,” the Red Devils manager told reporters prior to a midweek matchup with Chelsea. It’s unfair, in my opinion, to single out one player. You cannot make that into a pattern in a single moment. We had a great performance the previous week, as evidenced by the numerous games I mentioned, including Fulham, Burnley, Brentford, and Luton. The team had a lot of energy and spirit. These were different, if there was a pattern. However, this is by no means a pattern. There is team unity and everyone is giving it their all.”

THE LARGER IMAGE
In his 18 club appearances, the 28-year-old has only managed to score twice, making for an unimpressive campaign thus far. Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are both out of form, and Ten Hag’s team has been terribly inconsistent. They are currently 12 points behind league leaders Arsenal in seventh place and are in danger of being eliminated from the Champions League.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR UNITED MANCHESTER?

December is a very busy month for the Red Devils. Ten Hag’s team will get ready for a match at home against Bournemouth following the Chelsea match, and then they will focus on winning their crucial Champions League group stage match against Bayern Munich. Before Christmas Day, United has two crucial home games against West Ham and Liverpool that could determine whether or not they finish in the Premier League’s top four.