Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has bemoaned the first-half penalty decision that went against his side in the club’s 3-0 Manchester Derby defeat to Manchester City.
Ten Hag’s team were well beaten in a resounding derby defeat at Old Trafford, as Erling Haaland scored a brace for the visitors and Phil Foden added a third.
Haaland opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Rasmus Hojlund was adjudged to have fouled Rodri inside the penalty area, a decision which Ten Hag believes changed the course of the game.
“The first half we played very good, we defended very well. We had good breaks, good opportunities but we could have taken more benefit. Then the penalty changes the game,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports.
“We had to go offensive in the second half, we wanted to be more compact. We know they would press us, go high and go direct.”
Haaland scored again shortly after the restart for the second half and Ten Hag believes the Norwegian’s second goal was the moment the game began to get away from his side.
“The second goal. It came too early and then we’re making the wrong decisions. We spoke about not pressing the keepers when it was not possible.
“The first half I think things went the way we wanted. The second half, at 2-0, you have to go against them out of shape and when you don’t they will find the spare man. We have to be better organised.”
