Scott McTominay emerged as the hero for Manchester United, netting two crucial goals in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in their Premier League clash on Wednesday night.
Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat appears to dismiss any speculation that Erik ten Hag lacks support within the dressing room. Amrabat addressed the media following United's 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Wednesday night, where he delivered an impressive performance in the midfield, contributing to his team's success.
The Red Devils secured the win against Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea with a double from Scott McTominay at Old Trafford. After United's recent loss to Newcastle, reports emerged suggesting that Ten Hag had lost some support within the dressing room, with certain players growing disenchanted with his tactics and methods.
Ten Hag promptly refuted such claims, and Amrabat's comments now further support the Dutch manager. The Moroccan midfielder spoke to beIN SPORTS, sharing his insights on the match against Chelsea and offering a perspective on what he and his teammates genuinely think about Ten Hag.
"He’s one of the best in the world. He’s a fantastic coach and we are all behind him," said Amrabat.
Amrabat praised McTominay for getting on the score sheet. “He played a very good game. He scored two goals. He didn’t want to score a hat-trick, just two, We won 2-1 and that is the most important thing.”
“We started very well. I think the whole game was good. We played very well and had a lot of confidence. We had a very good reaction. I am very happy. We played attractive football, attacking football with a lot of pressing. The only negative is we need to score more goals but we won which is the most important thing," he added.
🚨🎙 Sofyan Amrabat.
"Erik ten Hag is one of the BEST in the world. He's a fantastic coach, and we are all BEHIND him."
Ten Hag outers won't like this. 😂pic.twitter.com/tNyaSbp7XA
The 27-year-old candidly discussed his challenging initiation into the Premier League, acknowledging that it was influenced by the absence of a pre-season due to injury. However, he now expresses a sense of increased strength and a gradual adjustment to the demands of English football.
He added, “I started [the season] with an injury and normally you need some time to adapt. But there was no time, the team needed me, so I had to jump in immediately and I’m a fighter, I will never say no when the manager needs me.”
Erik ten Hag, reflecting on the victory, expressed that he never perceived the situation at Manchester United as a "crisis." Emphasizing the importance of keeping calm and trusting the process, he highlighted the team's critical self-evaluation and determination to improve. Ten Hag remains confident in the team's potential for success and urged them not to be distracted by external factors.
"It never felt like a crisis for us. We keep calm and trust the process. We’re in the right direction and need not to be distracted with things around us. We’re critical of ourselves and want to put things right and make it better. This team can be successful," Ten Hag said.
"You have to be a team, cooperate. Need good communication in and out of possession. Then you play well because we have a lot of great players. I know we can not play great every game because we are not robots," the United boss added.
The whole of Stretford End sings “Erik ten Hag’s Red Army”❤️😍 pic.twitter.com/pN3ibisfQ7
— 𝗧𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗴’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘀 ✍🏼🇳🇱 (@TenHagBall_)Ten Hag praised Antony, who he believes is "progressing", and added on McTominay, "He’s a very good finisher. Sometimes he is deep and sometimes lower, but in our plan, we want him to be up there, and the team has to make that happen so he’s around the striker and make the runs."
With the crucial victory placing Manchester United just three points behind Manchester City in the league standings, the focus now shifts to maintaining momentum. Ten Hag's confidence in the team's ability and commitment to improvement sets a positive tone as United navigates the challenges of the season.