Erik Ten Hag Makes Huge Admission about Man Utd’s Style of Play

Erik ten Hag has insisted he can’t implement the tactical set-up he utilised with Ajax at Old Trafford because it is “not the DNA of Manchester United.”

Having been famed for playing an expansive style of possession-based football at his former club Ajax – winning three Eredivisie titles and reaching the Champions League final with the club – many were expecting Ten Hag to adopt a similar style of play after taking over at Man Utd, however that hasn’t been the case.

Ten Hag’s Man Utd suffered their seventh defeat in all competitions this season already on Sunday, being comfortably beaten by Man City at Old Trafford – losing 3-0 thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.

Following the game much has been made of Man Utd’s general inability to go toe-to-toe with the league’s top teams, despite forking out nearly £400m on new signings since Ten Hag took charge at Old Trafford in summer 2022, with the Red Devils attempting to catch Man City on the break on occasion on Sunday instead of trying to control possession and the tempo of the game.

The Red Devils would end the game with just 40% possession on home turf, prompting questions over why Ten Hag’s side appear so different to his famous Ajax team.