This Season Is A No Joke Season, If He Wants To Remain In This Team, If You Want To Play For United You Have To Be Up And Doing If Not I Will Axe You Out Of My First Team”. Ten Hag Blast United Star After Horrible Display Against Fulham.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag voiced his concerns over missed opportunities following his team’s narrow 1-0 victory against Fulham in their Premier League opener on Friday. Despite the win, the performance left an eager Old Trafford crowd feeling underwhelmed, as United struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout much of the match.

When opportunities did present themselves, United often failed to capitalize, until substitute Joshua Zirkzee, making his debut, netted a late winner. Ten Hag stressed the importance of being more clinical, particularly in the penalty area, to secure victories more comfortably.

He commented, “We need to improve our ability to finish games in the box. This was an issue we saw in the friendlies and again in our Community Shield loss to Manchester City. We created enough chances and shouldn’t have to depend on a late goal. We need to be more composed and decisive to put teams away.”

Ten Hag acknowledged that the team’s sluggish start could be attributed to the early stage of the season, with players still working to find their rhythm. However, he expressed confidence in the squad’s scoring capabilities, emphasizing that they have enough talent to find the back of the net consistently.

The decisive goal came from Dutch forward Zirkzee, who came off the bench to convert a late cross from Alejandro Garnacho. Ten Hag praised Zirkzee, highlighting his impressive return to form after suffering an injury at the end of his stint with Bologna, which had kept him out of the Netherlands squad for the European Championship.

“There are areas of his game that need development,” Ten Hag admitted. “But he brought qualities that we were lacking, and he showed them right away. His ability to link up in combination play fits well with our team. However, he needs to consistently get into the box and score, and he did that tonight. He’s a Manchester United player, and it’s fantastic to see a striker come in and score on his debut.” Erik ten Hag’s post-match comments after Manchester United’s narrow 1-0 victory over Fulham in their Premier League opener reflect both relief and concern. While pleased with the three points, Ten Hag emphasized the need for his team to be more clinical in front of goal. Despite controlling the match, United struggled to convert their chances, which has been a recurring issue, as seen in preseason friendlies and their Community Shield loss to Manchester City.

Joshua Zirkzee, making his debut, was the hero of the night, scoring a late winner from an Alejandro Garnacho cross. Ten Hag praised Zirkzee’s immediate impact and ability to link up play, acknowledging his qualities and the importance of his goal. However, the manager also noted that Zirkzee, like the rest of the team, must continue to improve, particularly in finishing chances more consistently.

Ten Hag remains confident in his squad’s scoring potential but stressed the importance of composure and decisiveness in the penalty area to avoid relying on late goals to secure victories.