“I think we won after [Manchester] City the most trophies in English football [in the last two years], so I’m sorry for you.”
Two first-half goals from Luis Diaz after blunders by the abject Casemiro and a 56th-minute finish from Mohamed Salah, who suggested this would be his final season at Liverpool, gave United fans a familiar sinking feeling against their bitter rivals.
This was United’s second defeat in their opening three matches and increased the scrutiny on Ten Hag, who was handed a one-year contract extension in July after the Old Trafford hierarchy opted against sacking him despite holding talks with half a dozen other managers.
‘It’s not like I’m Harry Potter’
Regardless of United’s poor start, Ten Hag is confident the club will lift a trophy at the end of the season to add to the Carabao Cup and FA Cup he has already won.
“We will be fine, but it is clear we have to improve and in the end of the season I am quite confident we will have a big chance to lift another trophy,” he said.
“We will see [how things go]. It’s just the third game in the season, we have to build a new team, I have explained this so many times. We will build this new team, we have young players, we have players to build in, we had two or three players who it was their first start of the season.”
Manuel Ugarte, United’s £42 million deadline day signing from Paris Saint-Germain, was paraded before kick-off then watched Casemiro – the man he is set to replace in the team – and United implode against Arne Slot’s side.
Ten Hag said it would take time for Ugarte to settle and that he did not have a magic wand like Harry Potter, the fictional wizard from JK Rowling’s books.
“So this is another one: we have to build him into the team – it will take time, so it’s not like I’m Harry Potter,” Ten Hag said. “That is what you have to acknowledge. And if you see Manuel Ugarte, he didn’t play so far in the season. Not one match minute.
“So he needs to build his fitness rate and then we have to build him in the team and I am sure he will contribute to our level and he will be an important player but that will take a couple of weeks, maybe even months. And it counts for more players. Joshua Zirkzee, he made big steps the last three or four weeks. I am very pleased with his performance today but I didn’t expect this four weeks ago.”
Casemiro ‘didn’t leave stadium at half time’
Casemiro was substituted at half-time against Liverpool and replaced by academy graduate Toby Collyer, who made his Premier League debut. Ten Hag dismissed suggestions Casemiro had left Old Trafford at half-time and said he expects the Brazilian to bounce back.
“I met him after the game in the dressing room, so he didn’t leave the stadium at half-time,” Ten Hag said.
“Why I subbed him was because we are 2-0 down against an opponent as Liverpool, with their qualities, they are very good. We had to take risks because we want to bounce back, then you need players in midfield to cover ground, therefore we put Toby Collyer on the pitch.
“I think that in football everyone has to take responsibility. I’m sure he [Casemiro] is a great character and he won everything in his career as you can imagine.
“I am sure he will keep contributing to our team and Casemiro is always winning so he will be there.”
