Manchester United are improving with each passing week under Erik ten Hag and perhaps the most impressive turnaround has been how the Dutchman has revolutionised United’s defending.
Last season, United conceded more goals than they had ever done before in a Premier League season and questions were being asked about the players.
The latest Premier League game saw Ten Hag extend his side’s unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions and in that run, they have kept five consecutive clean sheets at Old Trafford.
The 1-0 win against West Ham also meant that United now have the top four well in their sights heading into the final two games before the season is broken due to the World Cup in Qatar.
Michail Antonio, the West Ham forward, played in that game at Old Trafford and has now admitted to being left frustrated by a series of heroic saves by David de Gea.
In addition to praising De Gea, Antonio also reserved special praise for the United defenders on the pitch after they once again stopped the opposition from finding the net.
“De Gea, argh. It’s so frustrating. Some of the saves he’s been putting up are unbelievable,” Antonio told The Footballer’s Football Podcast, via The Boot Room.
“He’s done that to us for the last three years we’ve gone up there. We have had so many chances and he’s just decided to turn up for our games. He was unbelievable.
“They played well defensively. [Lisandro] Martinez was quality, he was a rock, Harry Maguire came in and did well – with all the comments – but he was solid.
“[Diogo] Dalot took three balls off my head at the back stick! De Gea, over the last few years, playing against him, he has pulled out some worldies against me.
“I think it was in lockdown and I had three opportunities against him, back stick header, pulled it out, unbelievable save. Left foot shot, edge of the box, going just inside top bins and he’s finger tipped it over the bar.
“Next one was five yards out I hit him just to the left of him, and he’s still managed to get something on it! There’s a few games where he has done this to me and he’s really annoying me, not going to lie!”
SN’s verdict…
Antonio is not the only person to praise United’s defensive record this season and one or two results aside, you can tell that Ten Hag is starting to get through to this group of players.
United are far from the finished product under the Dutchman but a solid defence is always the foundation to success and things are looking encouraging at the other end of the pitch as well.
United are still missing a goalscorer and that will be the next step but laying the foundations was always going to be the main objective this season.
