Ten Hag: We need a huge step forward
Erik ten Hag says Manchester United must take a 'huge step forward' for Sunday’s Emirates FA Cup semi-final against Brighton & Hove Albion, after a 'bad day' in Seville.
The off-colour Reds were well beaten at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium, losing 3-0 on the night (5-2 on aggregate) and exiting the Europa League at the quarter-final stage.
Erik admits the performance was one which just cannot fly and that his side need to show greater character and composure if we are to have a successful end to the season.
“I already started [trying] but we have to pick them up, but also we have to face that we let ourselves down and we let the fans down,” Ten Hag told reporters following the game in Andalusia.
“If you want to win trophies, if you want to be successful, you need all of the character.”
Erik's post-Sevilla press conference
Press conference | The boss is asked about De Gea, our away form and Sunday's semi-final, after the loss to Sevilla...
The setback in Seville was our fourth defeat on the road in nine games, a run of form which clashes with the exemplary home record at Old Trafford, where we haven’t lost since September.
Ten Hag cited Sunday's successful visit to The City Ground, where we beat Nottingham Forest 2-0, as an example of how United should play away from home and called for greater consistency from his players.
“Sunday, we showed we can do it, we have seen against Forest. We were composed, we had the desire and, today, we didn’t.
“You can expect from a player at Manchester United, from a team like Manchester United, that they do it consistently.
“Now isn’t too often [it happens] but, we have a really poor performance and it can’t be.”
A contest with the high-flying Seagulls is next up, then, and the boss is clear on what his players need to do ahead of Sunday’s 16:30 BST kick-off.
“Yeah, I think it will be easy [to recover], I think everyone as a footballer has had a bad day and the next day will change,” Ten Hag said, to BT Sport.
Ten Hag's post-match verdict
Erik has his say on a difficult night in Spain, as United exit the Europa League at the quarter-final stage...
“It’s really just the mentality has to change, we know it’s going to be a completely different opponent, a completely different style, so I think from tomorrow, it will be focus on Brighton.
“We know that [it is a huge game] and that is what we just told [the players] in the dressing room,” he added, when speaking to MUTV’s Mark Sullivan.
“We know what to do and we need a huge step forward, higher standards, a better performance to beat Brighton, because that’s a tough team.
“It must give energy, that’s absolutely clear. But then we need a different performance as we did today.”