Ten Hag: 'Man Utd are too naive'

According to manager Erik ten Hag, Manchester United played well, could have led 4-0 in the first half, but squandered opportunities and had to rely on a goal in the 7th minute of added time to beat Wolves 4-3 in the Premier League.

"This win is important, but the game has many facets," Ten Hag said after the match. "First, let's look at the positives. We played very well and controlled the game for the first hour. We should have been 3-0, 4-0 up, but we wasted chances and were naive towards the end. We shouldn't have conceded those goals, but then we showed resilience."

Coach Erik ten Hag encouraged Casemiro when he substituted the Brazilian midfielder during the 4-3 victory over Wolves in the 22nd round of the Premier League at Molineux on February 1st. Photo: AFP

At Molineux on February 1st, Man Utd dominated with 55% possession, twice as many shots as Wolves (8 compared to 4), and led 2-0 after 22 minutes thanks to goals from strikers Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund. However, two goals from Hojlund and Casemiro were later disallowed for offside.

In the second half, Pablo Sarabia converted a penalty to reduce the deficit, before Scott McTominay restored Man Utd's two-goal lead. However, in the 85th minute and the fifth minute of added time, Max Kilman and Pedro Neto scored respectively, leveling the score at 3-3 for Wolves.

The tension escalated in the seventh minute of added time, when 18-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo dribbled past two Wolves players, burst into the penalty area, before curling a low shot into the far corner to seal a 4-3 victory. Mainoo scored his first goal for Man Utd in his eighth Premier League appearance.

According to Ten Hag, Manchester United have many players who have just returned from injury, are not yet in their best physical condition, and tend to tire towards the end of the match. The Dutch coach believes this will improve in the future. "If you're leading 2-0 and 3-1, you can't let the opponent come back like that," he added, commenting on the match's events. "That was too naive and not good. We have to improve, play more consistently throughout the game, but I'm pleased with the team's performance in the first 60 minutes."

Born in 2005, Mainoo started playing for Man Utd at the age of nine. The English midfielder made his first-team debut in 2022, but only secured a regular starting position this season. He is the fourth teenager to score a winning goal in injury time for Man Utd in the Premier League, following Alejandro Garnacho against Fulham in November 2022, Marcus Rashford against Hull in August 2016, and Federico Macheda against Aston Villa in April 2009.

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo scored the winning goal in Manchester United's 4-3 victory over Wolves in the 22nd round of the Premier League at Molineux on February 1st. Photo: Reuters

"Mainoo is making incredible progress," Ten Hag praised his pupil. "He has great potential and is the epitome of a modern midfielder. Mainoo plays calmly, can defend, attack, and has the physical attributes to do both."

Meanwhile, Mainoo expressed his feelings about his first Premier League goal: "I'm still ecstatic, it feels like a dream. We got an important win on a tough pitch."

The 18-year-old midfielder feels that playing alongside captain Bruno Fernandes has helped him improve and is having a breakthrough season. "Fernandes is a good role model both on and off the pitch. That's great," Mainoo added.

The victory against Wolves lifted Man Utd to seventh place with 35 points, but they are still eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. On February 4th, Ten Hag's team will return to Old Trafford to face West Ham, who are just above them in the table with 36 points.

Hong Duy

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