Manchester United, led by Erik ten Hag, made the same errors against Chelsea that led to criticism from Rio Ferdinand and Jamie Carragher about the team’s tactics and mentality. Ten Hag’s team has faced significant scrutiny this season for both their results and their overall play. United have frequently appeared unorganized when they are not in possession, giving relegation-threatened Brentford 183 opportunities to shoot during their 1-1 draw last Saturday and allowing a goal in the 99th minute which resulted in dropping two points. The same situation occurred during their match against Chelsea on Thursday. United made a strong comeback from being 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead, but ultimately lost 4-3 to Chelsea after conceding two late goals from Cole Palmer. This defeat leaves United in a difficult position in the race to qualify for the Champions League next season, as they are currently 11 points behind the top four teams, although they do have a game in hand over Aston Villa who are currently in fourth place. Fifth place team is likely to qualify for Europe’s top competition, and Tottenham currently holds that spot with a comfortable nine-point lead over Liverpool, despite playing the same number of games. Check out more about how United’s repeated errors against Chelsea could put Ten Hag’s job at risk. United’s player ratings were high as Garnacho and Antony excelled in the defeat against Chelsea. Prior to United’s loss at Chelsea, Ferdinand and Carragher critiqued the Reds’ struggles this season, noting problems with both the players and coaching staff. Ferdinand emphasized the importance of having leaders who can communicate and direct during matches on the Stick to Football podcast. How often do you tell someone to be tough to play against and stay focused for a few minutes? I believe that emotion plays a significant role in the dynamic of this United team.
