Erik ten Hag has delivered his verdict after his side fell to another late defeat at the Emirates Stadium this year, with United now sitting on just six points from the first four Premier League games.
The last trip to the capital to face Arsenal in January this year ended with Eddie Nketiah scoring a 90th-minute winner and today, it was Declan Rice who would break the Reds in the 96th minute.
Rashford had given United the lead in the first half but Martin Odegaard’s immediate equaliser ensured the affair was headed for a draw before Rice’s deflected strike found its way past Andre Onana. Just minutes earlier, Alejandro Garnacho had a goal ruled out for offside.
Speaking after the game, Ten Hag argued that United deserved to win the game but accepted that you don’t always get what you deserve in football.
“I think we deserved to win this game but you don’t always get what you deserve,” Ten Hag is quoted as saying by the BBC.
“I look more at how we step up and if you see from the Wolves game to this game there is big progression. Tonight was a team, I am really happy with this performance and the progress of our performance.
“We did well, we make progress, stick to the plan and believe and in the future we will win games like this.”
Ten Hag also hit out at the referee’s decision to allow Rice’s winner to stand, arguing it should have been disallowed: “It can’t be that this goal is given. It was a clear foul,” he said.
Most of United’s first-team regulars will now head out to represent their countries in this month’s set of international fixtures, with United welcoming Brighton and Hove Albion to Old Trafford in two weeks.
