Under-pressure Erik ten Hag defended his tactics and his players’ character as Manchester United look to bounce back from a pair of humiliating home defeats.
The misfiring Red Devils are under intense scrutiny after Sunday’s meek 3-0 derby defeat against Manchester City at Old Trafford was compounded against Newcastle.
United lost by the same scoreline as the Carabao Cup holders went out in the fourth round on Wednesday, with their eighth defeat in 15 matches making this the club’s worst start to a campaign since 1962-63.
Defiant Ten Hag said he was a “fighter” immediately afterwards but there have been suggestions that his players lack the same desire to dig themselves out of this current hole, starting with Saturday’s league trip to Fulham.
“That’s not right,” the United said when doubts about his players’ spirit was put to him. “You can’t say that.
“Remember only the fight we showed against Brentford, that (2-1) comeback? If there wasn’t spirit in the dressing room, if there wasn’t characters in the dressing room, you can’t do this.
“I have a good squad and I am convinced of the players in this dressing room.
“These players, we have seen last year, can do a lot better but that is up to me to let them play better.
“I have to take the responsibility to let them play better and I will put every effort in to get this done.”
Ten Hag brushed aside talk of January reinforcements as ownership speculation continues, saying United have already “constructed a good squad” before pointing to their injury issues.
Casemiro has joined the list of absentees after sustaining a hamstring injury against Newcastle that United say will keep him out for several weeks.
Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are among others already lied low and Victor Lindelof will join them unless he can shake off an illness.
“(Raphael) Varane is ready to play, so he will travel with the squad,” Ten Hag said after the 2018 World Cup winner missed the Newcastle match through illness.
“Victor Lindelof has some illness. We have to see if he is ready for tomorrow.”
Absentees have unbalanced United and led Ten Hag to be more pragmatic than he would like this term.
A lot was expected of the Dutchman tactically when he arrived last year after securing success in style at Ajax, but he said after the City defeat that it was impossible to play the same way.
“I thought the explanation from my point of view was totally wrong,” Ten Hag explained. “But I can’t play like Ajax because I had different players.
“So, I came here with my philosophy based on possession but also to combine it with the DNA of Manchester United and combine it with the players, with the competences, the characters of the players.
“That you combine and I think last year we have seen what that was. I think we played very good football last season.”
Ten Hag said “this season the philosophy is not different” as he gave a full explanation of his approach when it was put to him that onlookers have not seen clearly, if at all, in recent games.
“I don’t want to say that,” the United boss said. “I think that is too strong.
“The intention is clear but definitely it is the case that the execution isn’t there but in the moment with so many changes every game.
“We can’t line up the same line-up two or three games after each other. Every time we have to swap.
“Last season was the same with one player, but now we miss often players in the back four and every time we have to adjust.
“That doesn’t help in your routines. Now also the midfield we have to adjust, missing Casemiro, an important player.
“But I never brought up this team (issue). You know why? We have to win and I don’t want to find excuses if we are not winning.
“We have to be more pragmatic but still we have to win. That is the demand and I don’t walk away from that.”
St. Louis City v LA Galaxy: Reus sets sights on silverware after dream start
Marco Reus is desperate to bring silverware to the LA Galaxy after making a flying start to his time in MLS, with St. Louis City the destination for his first road game on Sunday.
Reus registered a goal and an assist on debut last week as the Galaxy beat Atlanta United 2-0, maintaining their grip on top spot in the Western Conference.
The Galaxy are five points clear of local rivals Los Angeles FC at the top of the standings ahead of Sunday's trip to St. Louis, who are 13th and 10 points adrift of the playoff picture.
Reus' arrival in Los Angeles has caused plenty of fanfare, but he is focused solely on the team's collective aims.
"It's not about me, it's about the team," he said. "We want to be champions. So we take it game by game.
"Besides the traffic, it's really amazing. The people are so friendly. The weather, it's really nice. When you wake up in the morning and the sun is shining, you start the day differently.
"So I'm really, really happy every morning I come into the dressing room. I'm just happy and excited."
St. Louis played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with the Portland Timbers last week, twice throwing away a two-goal lead to leave interim coach John Hackworth bewildered.
"Really don't know what to say," Hackworth said. "It's hard to imagine coming to a place like this and scoring four goals, being up, and then just losing one-versus-one defensive battles.
"Sometimes, the number of goals you give up, or the number of goals you score, can hide a lot of the transition moments.
"An easy way to prevent some of these defensive miscues from happening is to just be better with the ball."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
St. Louis City – Eduard Lowen
Lowen scored his fourth goal of the MLS season last time out, converting from the penalty spot as St. Louis drew 4-4 with the Timbers.
Only Joao Klauss, with five goals, has outscored him for St. Louis this term.
LA Galaxy – Marco Reus
Reus is one of 20 players in MLS history to record a goal and an assist on his regular-season debut.
He is also the fifth Galaxy player to do so, after Steven Gerrard, Andreas Herzog, Giovani dos Santos and Sasha Victorine. No other team have had more than two players achieve the feat.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
The Galaxy have won 10 of their last 13 regular-season matches, the first time they have done so in a single season since 2011. LA have not recorded 11 wins in a span of 14 matches within a single regular season in the post-shootout era (since 2000).
It would be no surprise to see the points shared in this one, though. All three meetings between St. Louis and the Galaxy have ended level, all with different scorelines (1-1, 2-2, 3-3).
St. Louis have only won one of the last six matches in which they have held the lead in regular-season play dating back to the beginning of June (four draws, one defeat).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
St. Louis City – 35.8%
LA Galaxy – 38.1%
Draw – 26.1%
Raphinha hails Barcelona after statement win over Valladolid
Barcelona forward Raphinha believes the team have laid down a statement of their intent by starting the season with four straight wins in LaLiga.
Raphinha scored the first hat-trick of his career and also delivered two assists on Saturday, as Barca crushed Real Valladolid 7-0 at Camp Nou.
Hansi Flick's side already possess a four-point cushion at the top of the table after also recording victories over Valencia, Athletic Bilbao and Rayo Vallecano.
Raphinha believes their results have demonstrated the club got things right in the transfer market, telling Movistar: "Today's game has shown that there is no need for anyone else to come. We are very happy because of that.
"We are in very good shape. The team is working hard. Today's result shows what we are working for.
"We saw that the coach was on the sidelines asking for more goals and that's our mentality.
"We are hungry and want to score as many goals as we can. When we are dominant like we have been, the best way to respect our rivals is not taking the foot off the gas."
Raphinha was one of the players who faced criticism during Barca's trophyless 2023-24 campaign and was rumoured to be on his way out ahead of the new season.
The Blaugrana again battled financial restrictions throughout the window, allowing Ilkay Gundogan to leave in order to secure the registration of new arrival Dani Olmo.
With his future now certain, Raphinha is keen to nail down a starting spot and contribute on a regular basis.
"I don't know if today's was my best game, but it's certainly among my best. I will try to play even better and as much as I can," the Brazilian said.
"I'm very happy to be able to help the team. I feel good. I knew that this season would be very important for me. I'm looking for my best version to help my team-mates and be more confident."
Lazio 2-2 Milan: Leao salvages draw but Rossoneri still winless
Rafael Leao came off the bench to earn Milan a 2-2 draw with Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, but Paulo Fonseca's side are still without a Serie A win this season.
Milan were in front at the break through Strahinja Pavlovic's eighth-minute goal, the Serbian rising highest to power home a header from Christian Pulisic's corner.
However, Lazio hit back in the second half with Valentin Castellanos and Boulaye Dia scoring in quick succession.
Nuno Tavares' first-time ball into the centre was met by the unmarked Castellanos to level in the 62nd minute, then Dia tapped another Tavares cutback home to put the Biancocelesti ahead four minutes later.
Fonseca reacted by sending on four substitutes, and those changes had a swift impact as three of them combined for the leveller.
Theo Hernandez – who joined Leao in being dropped from the start – picked out Tammy Abraham, and his lay-off allowed Leao to escape Tavares to fire past Ivan Provedel.
The game was preceded by an emotional tribute to the man who led Lazio to their last league title, Sven-Goran Eriksson, who died at the age of 76 on Monday.
A Lazio shirt bearing the Swede's name was displayed on the home bench, while a banner held up by the home fans read: "You brought us to the top of the world... Have a good trip Mr. Sven."
Data Debrief: Milan's slow start continues
New Milan boss Fonseca is already under pressure after overseeing a return of two points from his first three league games at the helm.
It is the first time the Rossoneri have drawn two of their opening three matches in a Serie A season since 2011-12, when they also drew two and lost one,
They went on to finish second that season, just four points adrift of champions Juventus. If a title challenge is to take place this term, rapid improvements are needed.
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