Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag expressed that his players will approach the upcoming match against Liverpool with a sense of determination and frustration, urging them to ensure victory in crucial encounters.
Following a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Chelsea, where United conceded twice in stoppage time, and a 99th-minute equalizer against Brentford just five days prior, the team finds themselves in sixth place in the table.
With Jurgen Klopp’s title-contending Liverpool visiting on Sunday, Ten Hag emphasized the importance of his players’ response and their ability to secure victories in significant matches.
“We have to step up and make better decisions,” said Ten Hag.
The five points United have dropped late in their past two league games have left their hopes of qualifying for next season’s revamped Champions League hanging by a thread.
But Ten Hag added: “We can play to a very high standard. We can compete with the best and beat the best in the Premier League. When you can do that, you can also do it across Europe.
“We need to learn how to bring big games over the line.”
With the top five teams in the English football Premier League set to secure a spot in Europe’s prestigious club competition for the following season, Manchester United finds themselves trailing Tottenham, who occupies the fifth position, by nine points with eight matches remaining. Additionally, they lag behind Aston Villa in fourth place by ten points.
Since Erik ten Hag assumed the managerial role in 2022, Manchester United has emerged victorious in both encounters against Liverpool at Old Trafford. Notably, their recent clash in the FA Cup quarter-final last month ended in a thrilling 4-3 victory for United.
Reflecting on the disappointment of their recent defeat to Chelsea, where Cole Palmer netted twice in the 10th and 11th minutes of injury time, the United boss emphasized the importance of using that frustration as motivation for a successful performance against their long-standing rivals, Liverpool.
“We have to recover very quick,” said Dutchman Ten Hag. “We have to turn this around. We will be in a positive mood and we will be looking forward.
“We have to take energy but we will be mad, angry. From anger you can take a lot of energy and that is how we have to do it.”