“Of course i can do better than him; Ex- Manchester player makes admission on return to club ramps up the pressure on Erik ten Hag as struggles continues

The manager at Manchester United almost perenially looks like one bad result away from a crisis and for Erik ten Hag, there has been way more than one.

The performances have been encouraging recently, but there’s only so long that the manager can hitch his wagon to performances if they don’t translate to results.

The 1-1 draw vs FC Twente at home was another setback after the frustrating goalless draw vs Crystal Palace, and now, Manchester United have won just three of their eight games so far this season.

With the upcoming fixture list only getting more daunting, it looks like it will be make-or-break time for Ten Hag at Old Trafford.

Amidst all the madness, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made an admission that is sure to increase the pressure on the Dutchman.

This is not the Norwegian’s first rodeo. Solskjaer was drafted in as the emergency interim manager to relieve the club of the toxicity under Jose Mourinho.

He, of course, did that and much more to eventually become permanent and mastermind United’s best finish in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

His tenure ended the same way as it did for previous managers, in a dust of smoke as hope vanished since players stopped performing.

That doesn’t seem like it’s the case yet for Ten Hag but the pressure is nonetheless growing and the urgency for positive results is dire.

Solskjaer was asked if he would return to Man United if given the opportunity and the Norwegian surprisingly was frank about it.

He said: “I don’t like to talk about other manager’s jobs, but yes. Of course, I would!”

Although Solskjaer says he doesn’t like to talk about other manager’s jobs, his honest admission is unlikely to play any part in toning down the rumour mill.

While Solskjaer’s admission is likely to get many fans swooning, after all, United arguably played the best football since 2012 under his tenure, the reality is that United have to move on.

The new ownership is clearly functioning with a long-term vision and a plan to achieve it, and going back to Solskjaer, who was a breath of fresh air but had his credentials questioned, is not the right move.

That’s not even considering that despite the poor results this season, United’s underlying stats show they are clearly doing a lot right.

The cutting-edge missing is costing them points and wins but at this point, the board has to work under the assumption that results will end up matching the performance in the long term.

Most importantly, the dressing room seems to be firmly behind the manager, the cause of doom for almost every man who was in the hot seat before him.

Champions League qualification is the aim this season and while United have hardly started on the front foot in the league, it only takes one sustained run to surge up the table.

The performances have shown that they have the quality to make that run. It’s worth sticking with the manager to see if that becomes a reality.

Solskjaer is going nowhere anyway because that’s how much he loves the club.

“They know what to do, what can’t happen and in a game like today, we didn’t lose ;
Erik ten hag blast players In dressing room after Twente draw

Manchester United started their Europa League campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw with FC Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.

After Christian Eriksen had fired the Reds into a 1-0 lead with 35 minutes on the clock, the expectation was that United would add to their tally and mark their Europa League opener with a commanding victory.

However, Sam Lammers capitalised on an Eriksen mistake to bring Twente level with just over 20 minutes left, firing past Andre Onana at his near post. Twente’s supporters celebrated at full-time as though they had just been crowned Europa League champions.

To the Dutch side’s credit, they performed well, with their passion and desire worthy of a share of the spoils. For United, however, it was another underwhelming result to start a European campaign, meaning you now have to go back to 2020 for the last time they won their opening fixture in a European campaign.

Erik ten Hag, who is a boyhood Twente supporter, was understandably furious with his side’s performance, criticising his players for not grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck.

He said: “It was the game of their life, they fought for every yard and we didn’t. Ninety-nine per cent is not enough, you have to give 100 per cent, you have to kill the game and finish it off.

“We are leading 1-0 but you have to go for the second goal, then you kill the game.”

United were expected to come out for the second half and push for a second goal to kill the game off. However, they failed to assert themselves in the same way they did at Crystal Palace on Saturday, only peppering the visitors’ penalty area in the final 10 minutes.

Ten Hag has attempted to raise standards throughout his United tenure, and he did transform the dressing room culture in his first season at Old Trafford, ending the player-power era. However, he is bound to have been alarmed by Eriksen’s post-match admission, in which he said everyone within the dressing room felt Twente were hungrier for the win.

“We wanted more, but in the end, it was far from good enough and we said in the changing room that it looked like they wanted it more and that can’t be right,” Eriksen told TNT Sports.

“I think personally, you score a goal and think you’re a matchwinner, but obviously it’s gone the other way. Everyone is looking at themselves. Everyone is a professional footballer.

“They know what to do, what can’t happen and in a game like today, we didn’t lose but it felt like a loss and against FC Twente at home, that can’t happen.”

When you consider the demands Ten Hag puts on his players, demanding 100 per cent every single game regardless of the opposition, it is concerning when a player within the squad comes out and says the general feeling inside the changing room was that Twente wanted it more.

“I will join the club on one condition; Manchester United in transfer tussle to sign Bayern Munich star amid intrest from Real Madrid

Manchester United have been linked with a move for 23-year-old Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies, a target for Real Madrid.

According to a report by Give Me Sport, Manchester United will provide stiff competition to Real Madrid for Alphonso Davies. The 23-year-old Canadian international has established himself as one of the best left-backs in the game, and he could prove to be a quality acquisition for both clubs.

The 23-year-old defender will be a free agent next summer, and signing a player of viability on a free transfer transfer would be a major coup. He has been linked with other Premier League clubs as well. Manchester United need to bring in a quality left-back in the coming months.

Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia have had their share of injury problems, and their availability remains a major concern. Manchester United need a more dependable option, and the 23-year-old Bundesliga star would be the ideal investment for them. He is already operating at a world-class level, and he could sort out the left department for Manchester United for the foreseeable future.

It will be interesting to see if Manchester United come forward with an official proposal to sign the player. They need to convince the defender to join them as well. Davies will want to join a club capable of winning major trophies straight away. Manchester United are still going through a rebuild, and they might find it difficult to attract the player.

The report states that Real Madrid are the favourites to sign the defender, and it will be interesting to see if the Spanish giants can secure an agreement quickly. They need to bring in a quality left-back in the coming months, and Davies would be the ideal fit for them.

Real Madrid are widely regarded as the biggest club in the world, and the defender will be attracted to the idea of playing for them. The Canadian international is an exceptional player, and a move to Real Madrid will be quite exciting for him as well. They have a proven track record of pushing for league titles and Champions League trophies. He will want to be a part of their project.

Manchester United at one of the biggest clubs in the world as well, but they are going through a rough patch right now. It remains to be seen whether they can attract one of the best players in the world.