Crystal Palace 4-0 Man Utd: Erik ten Hag slams team as Casemiro has night to forget

Just when you think things can’t get any worse for Manchester United, they do.

Crystal Palace’s 4-0 demolition of United on Monday left Erik Ten Hag’s men in real danger of missing out on a European place for next season as their unwanted records continue to slip.

Defeat leaves them eighth in the Premier League and out of the European places – although a win against Man City in the FA Cup final would guarantee a place in the Europa League.

And despite having 10 first-team players injured, Ten Hag pulled no punches.

“It’s clear and it’s obvious,” he said. “This is weak.

“We haven’t performed the way we want to and it’s nowhere near good enough.”

Ten Hag’s future as United manager has been under discussion for months – despite the Dutchman having a year left on his contract.

They have taken 10 points from their last 11 Premier League games and conceded late goals against Fulham, Brentford, Chelsea, Liverpool and Burnley in that run to cost them 10 points.

Ten Hag says he is struggling with an injury crisis, the likes of which he has never experienced in his managerial career, but pressure will mount on new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to get Ten Hag’s situation straight.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has little sympathy.

He said: “This is one of the worst-coached teams in the Premier League, that’s a fact. Ten Hag needs shows, needs a belief.

“You have to make us believe there’s something there. I would expect Man Utd’s U23s not to lose 4-0 like that. I’ve been coached by some of the top coaches and a lot of what I see here is just wrong.”

Former Everton defender Ashley Young added: “If they put on performances like tonight they will miss out on Europe.

“If they’re not willing to at least run, they’re going to be in trouble. It’s been an up and down season, but tonight too many players weren’t up to par. Palace made it look like men against boys.

“I think that’s as bad as it gets.”

United’s players were given a standing ovation at the end of the match by a defiant away crowd, but it certainly wasn’t for the level of the performance.

“Like Man Utd, we should perform better,” Ten Hag told BBC Match of the Day. “The players who have been available should do better. It is a deserved defeat. The performance was not what we expected.

“We can’t just focus on one player (Casemiro). We have to focus on the performance of the team. It wasn’t right. We have to put things right on Sunday. We have to learn from this game and improve.

“You’ve got to stick together. You’ve got to take responsibility. The fans have given us such a huge, amazing support.”

They host Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, with speculation mounting over the Ten Hag’s future.

“I’m going to keep fighting and I prepared the team the best I could and it wasn’t good enough, far from good enough,” the United boss told Sky Sports.

“I have to take responsibility for it, but I will find energy and prepare them for the game on Sunday.

“All season long, we’ve been in huge trouble and so far, this is our fourth defeat in this calendar year, so it’s not much and every time, we’ve had huge trouble and a lot of times, we’ve solved it. Today, I didn’t. .”

An injury crisis left United with a makeshift back four and it was a night at centre-back Casemiro will want to forget.

The former Real Madrid midfielder was led ragged while impressive duo Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise enjoyed a night to remember.

The 32-year-old impressed in his first season at Old Trafford but has struggled for form this season.

Carragher, said: “I think Casemiro should know tonight that he should only have three games left in the top flight. The next two league games and the cup final, then they should think, I have to go to MLS or Saudi Arabia.

“It has to stop because we are looking at one of the greatest of modern times. I always remember the saying ‘leave football before football leaves you.’ Football left him. At this peak level, he must name it. a day at this level and move.

“At the level of that player, he shouldn’t have to go through this. He’s too good a player to put in a performance like that which Crystal Palace are laughing at. He needs to call it a day.”