Ten Hag questions Man Utd players’ intelligence in ‘lucky’ win; provides concerning Van de Beek injury update
Erik ten Hag insisted his team need to be smarter after getting “quite lucky” against Bournemouth, and stated the early outlook on Donny Van de Beek’s leg injury “is not looking very good”.
Man Utd secured a third successive league victory since domestic football resumed after sinking Bournemouth 3-0 at Old Trafford.
Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford found the net with the win extending United’s gap inside the top four to five points. A third straight clean sheet in the league was also kept.
The victory was marred in part by an gruesome injury scare to Donny van de Beek during a rare start.
The Dutchman was visibly upset after being subjected to a horror tackle by Marcos Senesi that bent his right knee the wrong way.
Van de Beek was able to limp off the pitch under his own power upon being substituted, though could be set for a significant spell on the sidelines.
Man Utd “didn’t play smart”; early Van de Beek update
Speaking after the match, Ten Hag said (via BBC Sport): “I’m happy with the result.
“Today it was not our best game. We have to be honest, we didn’t play that smart as a team.
“We made great goals, but at times we were quite lucky, and some great saves from David [de Gea]. We could have been smarter as a team.
“There were big spaces at 2-0 up, sometimes we have to keep the ball and recognise when to go for goal. That is the next step.
“It is always good to win 3-0. It was a great performance for the crowd, with scoring opportunities for both goals. To win 3-0 is always good.
“We have to go from game-to-game. The next game is a cup one, but we want to win every game. That has to be the approach.
“We don’t want to look any further, focus on that, it will be a tough game. We need every energy in the preparation and when we kick off on Friday night.”
On Van de Beek’s injury Ten Hag suggested the early prognosis isn’t looking good.
“We need to wait 24 hours,” said Ten Hag. “But it is not looking very good.”
Another “great performance” by Rashford – Ten Hag
Ten Hag later told Match of the Day: “We scored great goals and I think we should have scored even more but we could have conceded one or two and and I am not happy with that because David [De Gea] had to make good saves.
“We have to play more smart so that is the next step we have to make.
“We have options there [in defence] but we need them because we have so many games to cover.
“It was once again a great performance [from Marcus Rashford].
“I said before the season and the same with [Anthony] Martial, believe in the goal because they [the other players] will always create, so focus from minute one to the last and the chances will come.”
