Erik ten Hag has been speaking out after Manchester United’s defeat away at Crystal Palace.
The 7-0 defeat at Liverpool will take some topping, but Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat away at Crystal Palace was another awful loss Erik ten Hag has presided over.
This time, the manager can at least hide behind the scarily high list of injuries which have piled up, impacting his team.
United had to line up with a makeshift defensive duo of Casemiro and Jonny Evans.
Erik ten Hag on Jonny Evans
Jonny Evans returned to training last week and one of the effects of the injury crisis is that the squad is so thin, that Manchester United are rushing back the players who do return.
Harry Maguire suffered an injury days before the game, and this meant an increased role for Evans, now 36.
Speaking to club media after the 4-0 loss, Erik ten Hag has admitted that Evans was not ready. He selected him anyway, out of desperation.
He said: “Huge respect for Jonny that he stepped in [for Harry Maguire], but he wasn’t ready to go into the game.
“He only had two days’ training, so that is one example. But he played for 90 minutes and it was a real reward that he did this.
“But of course he can’t play to the levels what he can normally do.”
Evans and Casemiro torn apart
Selecting a half-fit Evans and an out of position Casemiro sounds horrific, and it turned out to be worse than that.
Both players were torn apart by Palace’s lively attack, both embarrassed for the Eagles opening two goals.
2-0 down at half-time, United were done. There was not even a hint of a fightback in the second half, and Palace added two more goals before the game was done.
United could have gone for a youthful option and started teenager Louis Jackson, who has won a game at Selhurst Park in the FA Youth Cup.
If United suffer more injuries, or simply decide the Evans and Casemiro pairing must not be repeated at any cost, then we might see Jackson get the nod this weekend.