Manchester United’s season took a further nosedive on Wednesday as they suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Newcastle, ending their defense of the League Cup and increasing the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.
This loss marked United’s eighth defeat in all competitions this season, raising concerns about the club’s performance.
Manager Erik ten Hag acknowledged the team’s poor showing, stating, “It is below the standards everyone expects from Manchester United. It is not good enough by far.” He took responsibility for the team’s performance and expressed his determination to rectify the situation.
Form points towards another disappointing season
United’s current struggles bring back memories of their last major title win, the Premier League title in 2013 under former manager Alex Ferguson. The path to returning to their glory days seems distant, as their form points towards another disappointing season.
While the League Cup may not be the highest priority for a club of United’s stature, it held significance as Ten Hag’s finest moment in charge when he led the team to victory in February. However, this triumph seems like a distant memory as United’s season continues to spiral.
United’s woes began with a 3-0 Premier League loss to Manchester City on Sunday, and Newcastle repeated the same scoreline, raising further questions about Ten Hag’s leadership. While there has been no official suggestion of Ten Hag’s position being under threat, the team’s poor form is becoming a growing concern.
Newcastle fans mocked Ten Hag during the game, chanting that he would be fired, underscoring the pressure he is facing. Ten Hag described himself as a “fighter” and expressed confidence in turning the campaign around, saying, “At all my clubs, I have done it, and also last year here I did it as well, but at this moment we are in a bad place.”
United struggled to make an impact
Newcastle secured a convincing victory with first-half goals from Miguel Almiron and Lewis Hall, followed by Joe Willock adding a third after an hour. Despite Ten Hag fielding a line-up that cost approximately half a billion dollars, United struggled to make an impact.
Ten Hag emphasized the need for improvement, stating, “As a team, we are not good enough, and whatever the reasons are, there is no space for excuses. We have to do things better and raise our standards.”
In other League Cup results, Chelsea secured a 2-0 win against Blackburn, Everton won 3-0 against Burnley, and Liverpool won 2-1 against Bournemouth. Third division Port Vale was drawn against second-tier Middlesbrough in the semi-finals, guaranteeing an underdog presence in the next stage.
Newcastle will now face Chelsea in the quarter-finals, while Liverpool hosts West Ham in their upcoming League Cup match.
