(Video) Ten Hag admits injuries have been detrimental to United’s form but won’t use them as an excuse

Manchester United's Dutch manager Erik ten Hag reacts as the end of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 30, 2023. Crystal Palace wins 1 - 0 against Manchester United. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Manchester United’s injury list has been ever-growing since the 2023/2024 campaign began.

After Casemiro’s setback this week on international duty, it took the tally up to 17 players who have missed a club game through injury or illness. Talk about bad luck.

It’s obvious that the issue has been detrimental to the side’s form across the term, with United overseeing their worst start in 34 years; four wins and four losses in the Premier League, and rock bottom of their Champions League group after two straight defeats.

As members of the squad gradually return to the fold, you’d hope that the wins would follow.

Ten Hag on injury woes

Ten Hag weighed in on the matter in yesterday’s pre-match press conference, saying: “Absolutely [we need players back to achieve consistency]. If you can’t use, every time, the same players, you can’t bring in the routines. Some routines slipped away [in] the last weeks and that has a bad effect on the results.

“But as you said, I never use it as an excuse because still we have a good squad and still we have to win and we have our principles and rules in our way of play, so the players should know what to do. But, of course, in the co-operation and sometimes there are different combinations who have not played so often together. And then you get, sometimes, some hesitation. And in such details, opponents take benefit from it. But as you said, and as I said, you can never use it as an excuse.”

Footage courtesy of Beanyman Sports.

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