After taking over Manchester United’s worst-ever Champions League campaign, Erik ten Hag has matched Sir Alex Ferguson to set an undesirable record for the team.
Bayern Munich eliminated Manchester United from the Champions League on Tuesday night, capping an awful season for Erik ten Hag.
With just four points from their six games, United finished bottom of Group A after losing 1-0 to Bayern at Old Trafford. Instead of making it to the knockout stages, they had to defeat Bayern and hope that Copenhagen and Galatasaray draw in the other match. However, they lost to them handily.
This season’s seventh defeat at Old Trafford was their 12th in 24 games played in all competitions. Kingsley Coman scored the goal in the bottom corner after a second half in which United failed to muster a single effort on goal.
Ten Hag chose to focus on his team’s shortcomings in prior games rather than criticizing them for their efforts against Bayern. In November, United lost 4-3 in Copenhagen after blowing a 2-0 lead. Later, in Istanbul, United drew 3-3 with Galatasaray.
In the end, the losses proved to be detrimental, as United achieved the unwelcome distinction of becoming the first Premier League team to finish bottom of their Champions League group twice. When Sir Alex Ferguson’s team won just six points from a group that included Lille, Villareal, and Benfica in 2005–06, United did it for the first time.
Back then, United lost their last match 2-1 to Benfica, drew 0-0 with Villarreal on both occasions, and missed out on beating Lille to exit the Champions League in the group stage for the first time in eleven years. Under Ferguson, such a setback was unusual, but under Ten Hag, who is under intense fire after United managed just four points, their worst-ever performance in a Champions League group, it is turning into a pattern.
“I think they showed enough effort out there, the team did very good,” Ten Hag told TNT Sports after the Bayern loss. “We were very good in the pressing, in the defensive organisation and we had many ball recoveries especially in the second half. But we didn’t take the benefits from that and we played against a strong side. Bayern are a good team and even when they’re not in the game, they have to just use one moment of individual class and that happened today.
“We know we want to be more consistent and that’s down to me as a manager. I have to guide them and the players have to take the responsibility so we have to do that together.”
United’s next Premier League matchup against Liverpool is a very tough journey to Anfield on Sunday. After losing to Bournemouth 3-0 at home the previous weekend, Ten Hag’s team is currently sixth in the standings.