Monday 30 / December / 2024
London : Manchester United head coach Erik Ten Hag urged his team to take positives from their defeat against Manchester City in the Community Shield Cup.
While facing local rival, Manchester United were on course to a 1-0 win for the title through Alejandro Garnacho's strike in the 82nd minute. However, Bernardo Silva equalised to take the game to penalties. The Red Devils fell short after Jonny Evans missed his spot kick, sealing a 7-6 loss for them.
The Red Devils had a fair share of opportunities to take the game away but they failed to capitalise on it.
The Dutch manager admitted that he was "pleased" with the way his team performed and wants them to dwell on the positives ahead of their Premier League campaign opener.
"I was very pleased. After half an hour, we were very competitive, and we came into the fight, and we were passionate in the fight, and that is what we demand from our players. It was very good, and we can take this into next week [against Fulham]," Ten Hag said as quoted from the club's official website.
"You have to feel the pain. You have to get fuel from it to make it a successful season but also take the positives that we can bring against a very good ball-playing team, press on the ball, and we can, against a very good pressing team, outplay them," he added.
Manchester United will begin their Premier League campaign against Fulham on Friday night. Ten Hag believes that the positives of this game will give them confidence for the season opener.
"The league start is the most important. I think we can take a lot of positives from this game, and it will give us confidence but also a little bit of pain in our stomach. When you are twice leading - in the game and in the penalties - then you have to feel the pain. We were very close but [did] not [win] a trophy," Ten Hag noted.
