Erik Ten Hag Pleads With Manchester United To Be More Clinical

After the final whistle blew in the Premier League match at Selhurst Park in London, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United were seen together. The match took place on Saturday, September 21, 2024. (Photo by John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)

Manchester United's coach, Erik ten Hag, expressed his disappointment over his team's inability to convert chances into goals during their scoreless tie with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

In the match at Selhurst Park, United took 15 shots, with 6 aimed directly at the goal, but they couldn't get past Palace's goalkeeper, Dean Henderson.

Although United dominated the game with almost 67% of the possession, they were ultimately let down to walk away from south London with just one point.

After the match, Ten Hag expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, "I'm not happy when we lose. We should have come out on top. In the first half, we completely dominated them. The second half was more even, but we definitely missed opportunities to score at least one or two goals in the first half."

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze (on the right) struggles against the challenge from Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui during the Premier League game between Crystal Palace FC and Manchester United FC at Selhurst Park on September 21, 2024, in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images)

"I believe we performed really well and maintained full control throughout the match. Whether we had the ball or not, I think we executed our game plan effectively. The only area we fell short was in front of the goal, which is where games are ultimately won or lost. We need to be sharper in those crucial moments."

"The opposition always has an opportunity, and they were presented with one in the 44th minute—a significant moment for them. A single error on our part allowed them this chance. We really should have been ahead by two or even three goals at that point."

"In Brighton, we should have at least gotten a draw or even won, which means we missed out on three important points. Today, it feels like we may have dropped two points due to our performance in the first half. However, the important takeaway is that we ultimately didn’t lose the match."

Following the break, a humbled Palace showed improvement and managed to prevent United from entering the penalty area, limiting their chances.

“I believe they tightened up their midfield and managed some effective counter-attacks,” Ten Hag mentioned. "It was initially tougher for us to break through. On the other hand, they found more room to exploit and had a few good chances on the counter."

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: During the Premier League game at Selhurst Park on September 21, 2024, Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace attempted a shot while being pressured by Matthijs de Ligt of Manchester United. The attempt was denied by Manchester United’s goalkeeper Andre Onana. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)

Even though United was in control of the game, Palace created a number of solid opportunities to score. Eberechi Eze had two notable chances; the first one he shot directly at Andre Onana, while the second one went wide of the goal.

During the second half, Onana pulled off an incredible double save. He first stopped a low shot from Eddie Nketiah, then quickly jumped to deny Ismaila Sarr's close-range attempt.

“Andre needed to stay patient, maintain his concentration, and when the time was right, he had to deliver perfectly, which he did exceptionally well. We can all recognize how talented he is now. His reflexes are outstanding, and his quickness was evident with his save in the second half. It was a fantastic double save from Andre Onana in a single play.”

"Our team has put in a lot of effort to maintain a strong defense and stay close together. We've focused on pressing, and the results are evident. Off the ball, we're also very effective; we keep control of the game, which can really put pressure on our opponents."