March 08, (THEWILL)- Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, has lamented the club’s injury woes, asserting that a fully fit squad could have secured victories in up to 75 of his first 100 matches in charge. The Dutchman, who recently reached a century of games at the helm, believes the punishing injury list has significantly hampered the team’s performance this season.
Despite leading Manchester United to a third-place finish in the English Premier League and winning the League Cup in his inaugural campaign, Ten Hag’s side currently finds itself in sixth position, 11 points adrift of the coveted top-four spot with 11 games remaining. A defeat in next weekend’s FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool would eliminate United’s last remaining chance of silverware this season.
Ten Hag voiced his frustration at the lack of squad depth, highlighting the impact of injuries on the team’s results. “No team can deal with this, with so many injuries,” he stated. “I think we are playing to maximum levels if you take in the availability of the players.” The Dutchman cited the impressive performances in January and February when the squad was relatively injury-free, suggesting that a fully-fit team could have achieved even better results.
The injury crisis has forced Ten Hag to field a patched-up team, with key players like Lisandro Martinez, Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw, and Tyrell Malacia currently sidelined. However, there is a glimmer of hope as Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans have been declared fit to feature against relegation-threatened Everton on Saturday, although Omari Forson has joined the lengthy injury list.
While acknowledging the challenges posed by the injury setbacks, Ten Hag remains optimistic about the future, praising the balanced age profile of the squad and emphasising the team’s potential to achieve greater success when operating at full strength.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
