Erik ten Hag believes that Crystal Palace’s victory over Manchester United was well-earned.

Manchester United suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace, and manager Erik ten Hag admitted that his team “deserved” the loss. The Red Devils’ defensive vulnerabilities were once again exposed as they conceded two goals in each half, failing to put up a resistance against their opponents.

This defeat marks United’s 13th league loss, which is their worst record in the history of the Premier League. It is also the third time under Ten Hag’s management that they have lost by four goals or more away from home in the league. With key defenders Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, and Lisandro Martinez all out injured, their defensive struggles show no signs of improvement.

Ten Hag was already feeling the pressure before the match, with new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe making changes behind the scenes. Speculation about the Dutchman’s potential sacking before or during the summer will now intensify following this heavy defeat.

In his post-match interview, Ten Hag acknowledged the team’s poor performance, stating, “As Man Utd, we should perform better. The players who were available should do better. It’s a deserved defeat. The performance wasn’t what we expected.”

He emphasized the need for collective responsibility, saying, “We can’t focus on just one player. We have to focus on the team performance. This was not right. We have to put it right on Sunday. We have to learn from this game and improve.”

Despite the disappointing result, Ten Hag expressed gratitude towards the fans for their support, saying, “I was really grateful. They back us. They see also we have our problems. You have to stick together. You have to take responsibility. The fans gave us such huge and tremendous support.”

When asked about his future, the manager remained tight-lipped, stating, “I don’t think about this. I prepare the team in the best way I can. We have many problems. The only focus I have is to perform better with my team. I think only about making my team better.”

With three league matches remaining before their FA Cup final against bitter rivals Manchester City, Manchester United will need to regroup and find a way to address their defensive issues if they hope to salvage their season.