Erik ten Hag claimed Brentford ‘wanted it more’ than his Manchester United players in the wake of the sides’ dramatic 1-1 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Second-half substitute Mason Mount looked to have clinched United a smash-and-grab victory deep into stoppage time in west London, only for Kristoffer Ajer to find a 99th-minute equaliser at the other end of the pitch, rescuing a point for the hosts.
Remarkably, the Bees had 31 shots on Andre Onana’s goal across the match, compared to United’s measly tally of 11, but Thomas Frank’s men had to settle for a draw which meant they moved five points clear of the drop zone.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, remain stranded in sixth, 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa, with Champions League qualification seemingly out of reach with nine games left of the top-flight campaign.
There remain major question marks over Ten Hag’s position at Old Trafford and United’s latest lacklustre performance will have done little to quieten the incessant speculation surrounding the Dutchman and his future.
Speaking to Sky Sports in his post-match interview, Ten Hag promised to discuss the costly ‘mistakes’ with United's team and suggested the home team ‘wanted it more’ than his players.
‘If you are winning, you should give it away. Normally, we are a strong side, we are very strong in such situations and we have to bring it over the line so that’s very disappointing,’ Ten Hag said.
‘We made some mistakes and we have to talk about this, of course.
‘We should act different in that occasion where we conceded the equaliser, it was absolutely unnecessary.
‘But as I say, if you are in stoppage time and you make that goal, maybe we didn’t deserve but I have to make compliments for the team that they hung in the game and kept fighting, although I thought Brentford wanted it more during the whole course of the game.
‘But then you have to take it over the line.’
Asked how Brentford were able to make it so difficult for his United team, Ten Hag replied: ‘There are so many points to make.
‘I think in the final third we were not ball secure. We were also slow. Second balls, defending, we were not good.
‘They were more aggressive on such balls and they had more energy and that should be the other way around.’
Ten Hag appeared to blame United’s lack of ‘rhythm’ on the disruption caused by the international break.
‘Even when we don’t play well we have to win the game and did almost. That is what disappoints me the most,’ the United head coach added.
‘I know always after the international break then the level with never be as high as before because they will be out of rhythm. They are going to different nations, different systems and they need minimum a half to get into our system and our way of playing.
'When we don’t play well, we have to win, and we almost won, and that is what disappoints me the most.'
When asked if United were possibly lacking experienced players, Ten Hag said: 'We have many senior players.
'We all should stand up and take responsibility for this.'
Talking about the game on Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp mentioned that Ten Hag’s acknowledgment that Brentford’s players ‘wanted it more’ was especially ‘damning’ and felt United were defeated ‘in every way’.
'When a manager says that, it's quite damning,' the former Liverpool and England midfielder said.
‘And he talks about “our way of playing” – I've seen Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and I don't know what their way of playing is.
‘I don’t know whether they play out from the back. They attempt it at times, passing the ball to the goalkeeper, who then just kicks the ball up the pitch.
‘Do they do that deliberately? I know they haven’t always had the back four they would like, and if you have Martinez and Varane as centre-backs, or whatever he wants to do, it helps in building your play up, but I don’t know what the Manchester United way of playing is.
Redknapp added: ‘Brentford had many chances today and they were simply better in every aspect.
‘There's much discussion about the manager, will he still be here next year? I think the way the players are currently playing and that type of performance will decide because those are the performances that get the manager fired.
‘There was a lack of effort, and if they really like this manager, if they want to play for him, they will do that. I saw many players just walking around, not showing any care. They play for one of the biggest clubs in the world.’
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