Manchester United, under the leadership of Erik ten Hag, are currently facing a challenging time in their quest for Champions League qualification. The team recently experienced a disappointing 1-1 draw with Brentford, leaving them eight points behind fifth-place Tottenham. Despite this setback, Ten Hag remains optimistic about United's chances.
The recent match against Brentford was expected to be an opportunity for Manchester United to close the gap with Tottenham. However, it ended up being another stumbling block as they could only manage a 1-1 draw. This result has increased pressure on Ten Hag and his team who are now eight points adrift of the Champions League places.
Brentford dominated throughout the game with an impressive 31 shots and 85 touches in their penalty area. Although Mason Mount managed to score for Manchester United during stoppage time, Brentford quickly retaliated three minutes later through Kristoffer Ajer.
Ten Hag admitted draw against Brentford ruined his plans
Despite these challenges and criticisms from pundits like Jamie Redknapp who doesn't see United finishing inside the top five, Manchester United manager maintains his belief that his team can still secure a place in next season’s Champions League competition.
He views this draw as potentially being a "big point" in their race towards securing one of those coveted spots. He also expressed that he wouldn't have been bothered by Brentford's dominance if his team had seen out the win.
Erik ten Hag, Manchester United manager, said:
"There are still many games to go, But, of course, the points will be more expensive by the end and this should have been three [points]. But now it's only one, by the end we will know how it will work out, but it could be a big point by the end."
"We defended low at times, because Brentford are very direct, we lost many second balls, and then you have to defend the box and that is what we did quite well. And we had a great goalkeeper ( Andre Onana ). He was brilliant as well, so we have to say that.
"I think our results are quite consistent from January on, but yeah we concede shots. But we don't concede too many goals. And we're creating chances - with Rasmus Hojlund big chances - and we scored a goal, and it's all about bringing that over the line."
Road looking tough at the moment for United
With nine matches remaining this season, Manchester United will need to step up their game if they hope to beat either Spurs or fourth-placed Aston Villa for one of those prized positions.
While some may view the recent draw as a setback, Ten Hag sees it as a stepping stone towards their ultimate goal. His optimism and belief in his team's potential could be the driving force that propels Manchester United to overcome their current challenges and secure a spot in next season's Champions League.
While Manchester United may currently be facing some hurdles, they are not out of the race yet. With Erik ten Hag at the helm and his unwavering belief in his team’s capabilities, fans can still hope for an exciting end to this season.
