Manchester United proved something to fans, says beleaguered ...

LONDON – On the heels of an abysmal 1-0 English Premier League loss at Newcastle United that sparked more reports of unrest in Manchester United’s dressing room, beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag said his team wanted to send a message to their fans at Old Trafford on Dec 6.

His side duly accomplished that mission as Scott McTominay scored twice and the Red Devils thoroughly dominated Chelsea in a 2-1 win – a score that flattered the visitors – to climb to sixth in the table. It was their fourth league win in five games, though the Magpies, who are a point behind United in seventh, take on Everton on Dec 7.

“We are pleased with the result and the performance. We deserved this. We wanted to send this message to the crowd, but this is also our style,” ten Hag told the BBC.

“Very pleased with the number of chances we created (United had 28 attempts and nine shots on target, Chelsea had 13 and three respectively). It was very enjoyable for the fans to watch us play.

“When you are not on top form on the day, you get beaten. You need to be at your best. When you are not, you get killed. We know that and we need the right attitude every game.”

The club had banned four media outlets from their pre-game press conference on Dec 5 after they reported that the manager had lost more than 50 per cent of the dressing room. United said in a statement they barred the reporters because they did not give them right of reply to negative stories.

Ten Hag said again after the win that he is not concerned.

“I don’t care about the noise. They are used to it. It was the same (when I managed at) Ajax Amsterdam, but in a smaller country so less people,” he said.

The victory had Old Trafford’s Stretford End singing “Erik ten Hag’s Red Army” in the game’s dying minutes, while midfielder Sofyan Amrabat defended his manager after the match.

“He’s one of the best in the world. He’s a fantastic coach and we are all behind him,” he told Amazon Prime.

Ten Hag also reserved special praise for McTominay’s performance. While the midfielder scored twice and is United’s top league scorer this season with five, he had numerous other chances, including two rapid-fire shots that forced Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into an acrobatic double save.

“He did great. He had an important role to play. He is a very good player. In possession, he was very dynamic. He scored two and could have had more,” the United boss said.

Chelsea scored their goal via Cole Palmer and manager Mauricio Pochettino said he was not disappointed in their performance because his players “gave everything”.

He believed the Blues had played well enough to get a draw but could not match the hosts’ energy and aggression.

“A few days ago, we were talking about a fantastic performance and how we were going well,” he said, referring to their thrilling 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion over the weekend.

“Today, because we didn’t get what we wanted here, we cannot change what we say now.”

Pochettino had already predicted a tough outing at Old Trafford, saying it was not a good time to face United as they had a point to prove after losing at Newcastle.

“I am not disappointed because the players gave everything, but maybe we didn’t match the energy. They were a little bit more aggressive than us,” he added.

“But we were competitive because we made chances and maybe enough to draw the game. But when the result is 2-1 you get nothing. I think we need to be calm and keep going.”

Chelsea are 10th in the league with 19 points from 15 games, eight points behind United. REUTERS, AFP