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Ten Hag blames hapless Man United players

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Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo (r) reacts as his team concede another goal to Brentford. (AP PHOTO)
Camera IconManchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo (r) reacts as his team concede another goal to Brentford. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AP

A shambolic Manchester United side have conceded four goals in the opening 35 minutes in a 4-0 drubbing at Brentford as their woeful start to the Premier League season continued.

United's seventh successive away league defeat was assured long before the interval on Saturday as Brentford took ruthless advantage of a catalogue of errors by the visitors.

The rout began in the 10th minute when United keeper David de Gea allowed a weak shot by Josh Dasilva to slip past him.

Things got worse for United eight minutes later when De Gea played the ball out to former Brentford player Christian Eriksen who was caught in possession and Mathias Jensen slotted home.

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When United's defence failed to deal with a corner and Ben Mee glanced in a close-range header to make it 3-0 the Brentford fans were ecstatic while United's new manager Erik ten Hag looked ashen-faced in his technical area.

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Brentford's fourth was a gem as Ivan Toney delivered a diagonal ball to Bryan Mbeumo from a counter-attack and Mbeumo calmly beat De Gea.

Ten Hag made three substitutions at halftime with Raphael Varane, Tyrell Malacia and Scott McTominay coming on but despite a slight improvement United offered little fight. Among those replaced was defender Lisandro Martinez, signed from Ten Hag's previous club Ajax for PS50 million.

Afterwards Ten Hag, the first Manchester United manager to lose his first two games in charge since John Chapman in 1921, criticised his players.

"For one, Brentford were more hungry, and two, we conceded goals with individual mistakes," said the Dutchman.

"You can have a good plan, but then you put the plan in the bin.

"I think it's nothing to do with tactics. The first two goals are about dealing with the ball and decisions.

"I think they follow my instructions but they make bad decisions. This is football, it's a game of mistakes and we got punished. I subbed three but I could have changed them all.

"When the results are like this I can imagine (how the fans) are feeling. It's no good that we show that clearly, and we have to change that. We need more hunger on the pitch as a team and individuals."

It was the first time since 1960 that United have conceded at least six goals in their first two matches of a top-flight season and the first time they have lost their opening two matches since 1992.

Then they went on to win the title but this side looks woefully inadequate to mount any kind of challenge and Ten Hag, who was taunted by the Brentford fans with "you're getting sacked in the morning", appears to have a huge job on his hands.

For Brentford, whose starting line-up cost in the region of PS55 million compared to the more than PS400 million of United's, have picked up four points in their first two games.

United had Cristiano Ronaldo back in their starting line-up but the Portuguese forward barely got a look in.

The confidence drained out of United from the moment De Gea allowed Dasilva's shot to end up in the back of the net.

"It was a horrible day," De Gea said. "I should have saved the first shot and then the result may have been different.

"Other teams concede one goal and win 5-1. We have to react much better. It was a poor performance."

United's next game is against Liverpool.

With PA

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