Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says he has never regretted taking the job despite the club’s current problems.
Ten Hag still has a year left on his contract but is under immense pressure after a terrible run of results, culminating in the humiliating 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
United have slipped to eighth in the Premier League, outside the European places, with growing speculation new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe might be tempted to make a change.
“I don’t regret being here for one second,” said Ten Hag.
“This is a massive club. You don’t know the challenges you have to face until you are in it. But I wanted this challenge.”
Ten Hag won the EFL Cup in his first season, ending United’s six-year trophy drought. He also reached the FA Cup final and finished third in the Premier League.
The former Ajax boss says that was an “over-achievement” and this season’s struggles are due, in large part, to a terrible run of injuries that has left Ten Hag repeatedly having to change his central defensive pairings and deprived him of an orthodox left-back for virtually the entire campaign.
Ten Hag’s critics say that is no excuse for recent performances that have led to United winning just once, excluding extra-time and penalties, in the past nine games.
Reports emerged in the wake of the Palace debacle that United’s players no longer backed the 54-year-old – a suggestion Ten Hag rejects.
“There is great team spirit,” he said. “In almost every game they fought.
“Not on Monday [at Palace], that is why I was so disappointed. But in all the other games they have fought. I can’t have any doubts about this.”
