In Sunday’s Manchester derby, Erik ten Hag made several in-game choices that left Peter Schmeichel speechless.
Marcus Rashford gave Manchester City the lead with an incredible goal, but Manchester United lost 3-1 at the Etihad.
City dominated possession for the most of the game, but Phil Foden picked up the pace after the interval to score two incredible goals. Erling Haaland then sealed the victory.
People were stunned by Erik ten Hag’s decision to take off Jonny Evans, Kobbie Mainoo and Rashford.
Manchester United legend Schmeichel was one of them, who criticised ten Hag’s decisions during the derby.
Schmeichel was on talkSPORT Breakfast on Monday, discussing the derby with Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist.
He said: “I thought as the game progressed that the team fell in a little too deep. For my liking, I would have pushed them up a little bit.
“And also then, when you need to change the game and they have equalised and scored again, the substitutions that you make.
“You take all your pace out, you take your driving force out of midfield off? You take your best defender off?
“I don’t get that. Are they being rested for the next game? I really don’t get the substitutions.
“When you look what Pep’s doing, he is only taking off two players. Generally, he doesn’t substitute a lot.”
Evans was replaced by young defender Willy Kambwala, while Sofyan Amrabat and Antony, who came on for Mainoo and Rashford, respectively, had horrible cameos.
The Man United manager confirmed after the match that these players were playing through an injury, particularly Evans and Rashford.
With this loss, United have now suffered 11 defeats in the Premier League, and finishing in the top four this season is looking like a distant dream.
Sadly, Ten Hag is finished. I genuinely think the fella has lost his way. I so wanted him to succeed but he isn’t up to it. It’s not even complicated – we are nowhere when it comes to having a United identity and he’s a million miles from the cocksure winner he was at Ajax. He was dead in the water as soon as he dismissed implementing an Ajax style to United, which was why he got the job in the first place. 99% of United fans can see the stark-staring obvious, while Eric and his coaches have their heads mashed into the sand. Time is up.