EPL 2022-23: 'All goals we conceded are mistakes' - ETH slams United defence in Arsenal loss

EPL 2022-23: Manchester United succumbed to a 2-3 defeat to Arsenal, as the latter continues to dominate at table-top. Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag was critical of United's defence for letting away easy goals.

English giants Manchester United travelled to take on fellow English giants Arsenal in the 2022-23 English Premier League (EPL) at the Emirates Stadium in London on Sunday. After an intensely-fought contest, the hosts prevailed, edging past with a 3-2 conquest, going five points clear at the top of the table. While Marcus Rashford (17) and Lisandro Martinez (59) scored for the visitors, Edward Nketiah (24 & 90) and Bukayo Saka (53) got the job done for the Gunners. In the meantime, the fourth-placed Red Devils' head coach Erik ten Hag, was critical of his side's defence, slamming the department for conceding easy goals.

"All the goals we conceded today are mistakes - it can't happen. Even last week [versus Manchester City], we were hard to beat in such situations. Today, we were not. All three goals we could have avoided. There were not a lot of open chances. We made mistakes we cannot make," said ten Hag to Sky Sports.

"This game was decided by small details but also the decision making. That is hard to accept, and we have to learn from it. I want to win. It needs to be better. We want to be number one, but not if we make mistakes. That is clear and what I told them," ten Hag added.

"Maybe, in the next couple of hours, I will realise we are in a good position and in a good development process. But at this moment, I'm annoyed. I also told the players: 'If you want to win trophies and titles, we have to change our mentality.'" continued ten Hag.

"It's not possible in a top game you make three such big mistakes that you concede goals. Especially the last goal, you have to feel the game. At that point, a point was the maximum, so you have to take the point. You can't give such a goal away, like we did, at the top level. Then you can't win trophies," ten Hag concluded.