Manchester United have a week to lick their wounds after coming up short in the derby, and they now have it all to do if they are to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League
It was a weekend to forget for Manchester United as they came up second best in Sunday’s fiercely anticipated derby against Manchester City.
Erik ten Hag’s side took an early lead courtesy of Marcus Rashford before succumbing to a rousing second-half fightback from the Premier League champions to leave United 11 points adrift of the top-four. And unfortunately for Ten Hag, the defeat is unlikely to ease the pressure which has grown on him in recent weeks.
It’s expected that Ten Hag’s chances of remaining in his post beyond the current campaign will hinge on whether or not he can qualify for next year’s Champions League, so the Dutchman is now facing a make-or-break run of fixtures.
With the speculation over his long-term future expected to rumble on in the build-up to United’s fixture against Everton on Saturday, Mirror Football rounds up all the latest news from in and around Old Trafford…
Fernandes’ honest admission
Bruno Fernandes has admitted that Manchester United face an uphill battle to secure a top-four finish after the Red Devils fell further behind their domestic rivals at the weekend.
Not only were United soundly beaten by Manchester City in Sunday’s derby, but teams around them picked up positive results in the race for Europe, including Aston Villa.
And while Fernandes insisted nobody at the club would be throwing in the towel when it comes to their goal of securing Champions League football, he was honest enough to admit that doing so would now be anything but straightforward.
Read what Fernandes said about Man Utd’s top-four hopes
Ten Hag makes unconvincing point
Join the debate! Do you think Ten Hag is still the right man for Man United? Let us know here.
Erik ten Hag insisted that there was no major gulf between Manchester United and Manchester City – despite the fact that his side were outclassed in Sunday’s derby.
United took an early lead through Marcus Rashford but City dominated the match even before hitting back with three second-half goals. United had just 27 per cent position and three shots in total across the course of the afternoon.
Ten Hag, however, played down the difference between the two sides during his post-match interview and felt that his team were unfortunate to lose the match.
Read what Ten Hag said post-match
Fresh dressing room concerns emerge
Some Manchester United players are concerned with the running demands that have been placed upon them by Erik ten Hag, it has been claimed.
A new report from The Manchester Evening News has alleged that there are some players within the dressing room who feel the intensity of Ten Hag’s methods are too much and have contributed to the club’s substantial injury list.
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
