Ten Hag: ”We lost the game at the start of the first half, start of the second half”
As Emery wins third game in 10 appearances against Man United
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says his side lost the game at the start of both halves as they suffered their fourth loss of the league campaign.
Taking charge of his first game for Aston Villa, Unai Emery’s third win in 10 appearances against the Red Devils as a manager helped secure Aston Villa’s first Premier League home win over the visitors since 1995.
Leon Bailey scored for Villa in the seventh minute and Lucas Digne curled in a free-kick not long after before Man United halved the deficit through a deflected Luke Shaw effort to end the first half 2-1 and give hope of a possible comeback. .
The homers started the second half the same manner they started the first with Jacob Ramsey’s fine finish from Ollie Watkins’ cut-back soon halted the comeback and it was no more than Villa deserved. This historic win makes it back-to-back Premier League home wins for the first time either this season or last as they move up to 13th in the table.
It also makes Emery just the fourth manager to win his first Premier League game in charge of a team against Manchester United, after Dave Bassett with Sheffield United (1992), José Mourinho with Chelsea (2004), and Alan Curbishley with West Ham (2006).
During his post-match interview, Ten Hag said they lost the match at the start of both the first and second half.
“We lost the game at the start of the first half, start of the second half. That’s not acceptable. You have to be ready for the game, we were not. We have to be more sharp. I said it was up to us. It was up to us. We didn’t keep the ball. We let them run at the start of the game, we didn’t get the right organisation but especially we didn’t follow the rules in defending and we lost battles. It’s not acceptable. A player has to take responsibility to be ready. It looked like they were fresher and that’s never acceptable,’ said the Dutchman.
Ten Hag admitted United played well late in the first half and got their goal but the team started the second half the same they started the first.
“I think that stage [end of first half] was the best part of the game for us. We created chances, with [Alejandro] Garnacho and [Cristiano] Ronaldo. Good chances and it was also well played but then we are back in the game and it’s really disappointing we conceded right after half-time. It’s crucial and we lost the game at the start of the first half and the start of the second half.”
