London: Erik ten Hag took responsibility for Manchester United’s miserable showing in a 4-0 thrashing by Crystal Palace on Monday, but said he is still the right man to turn the club’s fortunes around.
Palace completed a first ever league double over United in style as Michael Olise scored twice, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell were also on target for the in-form Eagles.
Defeat left Ten Hag’s men eighth and at risk of both their worst ever Premier League finish and missing out on European competition next season.
The Dutchman’s future is in doubt with structural change ongoing at Old Trafford since British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority stake and took sporting control of the club earlier this year.
“It’s clear and it’s obvious this is under-performing,” said Ten Hag. “We didn’t act how we want to do it and this is by far not good enough.”
Ten Hag’s options were again limited by a mounting injury list.
Captain Bruno Fernandes missed a club game through injury for the first time in his career, while England international duo Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire were also absent.
The makeshift centre-back pairing of Casemiro and Jonny Evans were torn apart by Palace’s pace and invention.
“Absolutely,” added Ten Hag on whether believes he is the right man to lead United forward.
“If we have the right players available we have a good squad but we miss almost the whole back-line and then we have problems.
“I will keep fighting and I prepared the team in the best way I could do. It was not good enough, by far not good enough, so I have to take the responsibility for that but I will find the energy and I will prepare them for Sunday.”
Worse could be to come for Ten Hag when title-chasing Arsenal visit Old Trafford at the weekend.
United have never failed to finish in the top seven in the Premier League era and must do so or beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final to qualify for Europe.
But the embarrassing scoreline at Selhurst Park is not unprecedented during Ten Hag’s reign.
United lost 4-0 at Brentford, 7-0 to Liverpool and 6-3 away to Manchester City during his first season in charge.
This season they have conceded 81 goals in all competitions, the club’s worst tally since 1976-77.
After a disappointing early exits from both the Champions League and League Cup, a FA Cup run has offered Ten Hag some relief.
But they booked their place in a second consecutive final only by surviving a penalty shootout against second-tier Coventry after blowing a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3.
“Tonight felt like the final nail in the coffin,” ex-United midfielder Paul Scholes told Premier League Productions.
“There was a lack of know-how from the team, a lack of effort which is the big disappointing thing.
'Cannot manage team'
“I’ve felt he might get another year and work for a club that has calmed down a little bit by the new owners but it just doesn’t feel like it now. It’s quite plain to see it feels like borrowed time.” Michael Owen, who played for United from 2009-12, said the club’s board should cut their losses and sack Ten Hag before the end of the season, with an FA Cup final against Manchester City still to play for. “He cannot, simply cannot, manage the team next season,” Owen said.
“I just wonder, there’s just so much at stake, even if it’s only for four games, I wonder whether the board might just have to try to do something here and now and be quite radical about it.” United have three league games left, hosting leaders Arsenal and sixth-placed Newcastle United in their next two matches before winding up the campaign at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Ex-United defender Ashley Young said the club might fail to win any of their remaining games.
“It’s shambolic, everything about United’s defending was crazy,” he told Sky Sports.
“If United put on displays like they have shown tonight, they will miss out.”
