Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag insists he’s “not Harry Potter” but remains confident his team has a strong chance of winning a trophy this season, even after losing 3-0 at home to Liverpool.
The Dutchman is already facing pressure just three games into the new Premier League season, following last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Brighton.
An unexpected FA Cup final win over Manchester City in May kept Ten Hag in his position despite United’s eighth-place finish last season—their worst-ever in the Premier League era. The former Ajax boss was rewarded with a contract extension and a £200 million ($262 million) budget for new players in the transfer window.
However, hopes for a revival at Old Trafford have quickly faded, with Liverpool comfortably defeating United in Arne Slot’s first significant test since taking over from Jurgen Klopp. “It’s not like I’m Harry Potter, that is what you have to acknowledge,” Ten Hag stated during his post-match press conference. “We just had our third game of the season; we have to build a new team again.”
Ten Hag expressed confidence in the team’s prospects, despite early setbacks. “We will build this new team. We have young players and others who need time to integrate during the season. Today, we had two or three players who didn’t start the season and didn’t play a full 90 minutes. We will be fine. It’s clear we have to improve, but by the end of the season, I’m quite confident that we will have a big chance to lift another trophy.”
United’s struggles last season were evident, and one of the standout moments came against Liverpool, where Casemiro was at fault for their first two goals. The Brazilian midfielder lost possession twice, leading to Luis Diaz’s goal, and was substituted at half-time for 20-year-old Toby Collyer. When asked about Casemiro’s form, Ten Hag said, “I think that in football, everyone has to take responsibility. He’s a great character who has won everything in his career. I’m sure he will keep contributing to our team. Casemiro is always winning, so he will be there.”
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement 11 years ago, United have yet to seriously challenge for the Premier League title.
With a six-point gap already separating them from Liverpool and reigning champions Manchester City, another season focusing on alternative silverware appears to be the best outcome they can hope for. “It hurts, especially for our fans,” Ten Hag acknowledged. “We have to be humble, compliment Liverpool, and move on.”
