Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has hit back at critics after a second consecutive defeat in the Premier League following their 3-0 loss to Liverpool.
Goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah condemned the Red Devils to back-to-back league defeats as United continued their difficult start to the season.
Ten Hag was in a fighting mood during his post-match press conference, believing his new look side need time to gel in the early part of the season.
“So this is another one: we have to build him into the team,” Ten Hag said. “It will take time, so it’s not like I’m Harry Potter. That is what you have to acknowledge.
“And if you see Manuel Ugarte, he didn’t play so far in the season. Not one match minute. So he needs to build his fitness rate and then we have to build him in the team and I am sure he will contribute to our level and he will be an important player but that will take a couple of weeks, maybe even months.
“And it counts for more players. Joshua Zirkzee, he made big steps the last three or four weeks, I am very pleased with his performance today but I didn’t expect this four weeks ago.”
Despite the result, the Dutchman is confident that his side will hit form and be in the fight for silverware, stating this is apart of the rebuilding phase his team are currently in.
“We will see. Just third game in the season, we have to build a new team.
“I have to explain this so many times, also on Friday at the press conference, we will build this new team, we have young players, we have players to build into the season, we had three players first start of the season, they didn’t play 90 minutes.
“We will be fine, but it is clear we have to improve and in the end of the season I quite am confident we will have a big chance to lift another trophy.”
