Manchester United suffered a devastating defeat against Galatasaray, and manager Erik ten Hag did not hesitate to express his frustration with the team’s “mental errors.”
Despite being in the lead twice during the game, defensive lapses proved to be their downfall, ultimately resulting in a disappointing 3-2 loss.
Among these errors was Andre Onana’s mistake, which led to Casemiro’s red card due to a desperate challenge in the penalty area.
This defeat marks Man Utd’s sixth loss in what has been an incredibly challenging season thus far.
The team currently finds themselves at the bottom of their UEFA Champions League group, having suffered two defeats in their opening two games.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Ten Hag highlighted the significance of avoiding such mistakes at this level:
“The mental errors we make, you cannot allow them at this level. You get punished. This is difficult to control. We are all in this together. We were twice up and in control of the game. We expect more together.”
One particular error came from Marcus Rashford, a key player for the team. While the score was tied at 1-1 in the second half, Rashford had a clear chance to score but instead chose to pass the ball to Bruno Fernandes, resulting in a missed opportunity.
Ten Hag addressed the incident, emphasizing the importance of making the right decisions in critical moments:
“That’s up to Marcus. In such a moment, he has to make a decision.”
Amidst the disappointment, there was a silver lining in the form of Rasmus Hojlund’s remarkable performance.
The new signing showcased his talent by scoring two fantastic goals for the club during the game. Despite not securing victory, Ten Hag commended the young player’s contribution:
“Rasmus scored two great goals. We’re happy with that, but of course, we didn’t win the game. He can be really happy with his goals.”
Looking ahead, Manchester United will face Kobenhavn in a crucial double-header in Group A.
The team will be aiming to secure two victories to reignite their hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds of Europe’s premier club competition.