Erik ten Hag is optimistic about the progress made by the Man Utd strike duo.
Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford were both on target in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham,
Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, wants Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford to continue their form after both strikers scored in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham at Old Trafford.
In a terrible afternoon for Ten Hag, United were pegged back twice by goals from Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur, with Scott McTominay wasting a glorious late chance to win it.
But there was hope in watching summer signing Hojlund score twice in as many Premier League games after a long wait to break his league drought, and Rashford scoring only his fourth of the season.
Erik ten Hag is optimistic about the progress made by the Man Utd strike duo.
“I hope they keep going, because there is progress,” Ten Hag added. “They are coming up with some routines and that is what you need, especially in the front line where a quick decision has to be made and in a split second you need the right decision so you need intuition.”
This was only the sixth game in 24 domestic fixtures in which at least one of United’s forwards has found the net.
“When your forwards are not scoring it is going through the whole team,” he went on to say. “When the front players aren’t scoring, it makes everyone feel insecure, starting with them.” Garnacho, Hojlund, and Rashford must provide a threat.”
Ten Hag thought United should have received a penalty when Garnacho went down in the box, but despite Destiny Udogie’s grip on the forward, there appeared to be little in the incident.
“Yes,” Ten Hag replied when asked if it should have been a penalty kick. “However, what can you do?” But I’m used to that; it happens every season.
“(Away at) Spurs was similar, with a clear handball from (Cristian) Romero, among other things.” I believe it will turn to our side at some point throughout the season. Let us hope for the best.”
While Ten Hag was pleased with his team’s two “great goals,” he described Tottenham’s equalisers as “soft,” with Richarlison headed in from a corner and Bentancur being allowed to march into the United box as Tottenham caught them off guard at the opening of the second half.
“The equaliser is no good but I have seen some good spells,” that’s what he stated. “We scored two goals and created other chances.” We performed well, which pleased me the most, but you are still upset with the outcome.”
Spurs rival Ange Postecoglou was pleased with his team’s performance despite missing many players due to injuries and illness.
Tottenham dominated possession and had 16 shots on goal to United’s nine, but the hosts scored with their only two shots on goal.
“I thought it was an outstanding performance, considering the team out there today,” Postecoglou said of his team’s fifth-place finish in the Premier League, eight points ahead of seventh-placed Manchester United.
“It’s a difficult place to play.” A victory today would give United some momentum.
“Every time these players face hardship, they do so. It was a fantastic effort, and they were unlucky not to win.”
Micky van de Ven played virtually the entire match before succumbing to cramp in his first appearance since early November, while Romero and Bentancur returned ahead of schedule.
Erik ten Hag is optimistic about the progress made by the Man Utd strike duo.
And Postecoglou stated that their eagerness to participate and support a short-handed team even when they were not entirely fit reflected the ethos in the Tottenham camp.
“We are not (where we are) because everything is running our way,” he went on to say. “Anyone conducting an objective analysis of our season would conclude that we have not had an easy season.” These men are giving me everything they have. They simply give everything.
“It is not always smooth but there is no manager on this planet who wouldn’t feel they are not in the right place when they put in this effort.”
