'I'm not Harry Potter' - Ten Hag defends Man Utd after Liverpool loss

Manchester United head Erik 10 Hag says he is "not Harry Potter", and is adamant his broadside person a awesome chance to assistance a trophy this play contempt their chastening 3-0 location conclusion by Liverpool.

The visitors already had a extremity ruled retired earlier Luis Diaz struck doubly successful 7 first-half minutes astatine Old Trafford.

Mohamed Salah added a 3rd 9 minutes aft nan restart and United were fortunate to flight without a repetition of their 5-0 humiliation successful nan aforesaid fixture successful 2021.

It was a bad time for Ten Hag fixed his starting line-up included six of his signings. His latest, £50.5m Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte, was introduced to nan fans earlier kick-off having been registered aft Friday’s 12:00 BST deadline to play successful nan game.

United are now 14th successful nan Premier League table, pinch conscionable 3 points from their opening 3 games.

However, Ten Hag refused to judge nan antagonistic position of nan result.

"It is not for illustration I americium Harry Potter," he said. "You person to admit that.

"For 3 players it was their first commencement of nan season.

"Manuel Ugarte did not play 1 infinitesimal - he needs to build his fitness. Then we person to build him into nan team. I americium judge he will lend to our team. It will return a mates of weeks, possibly moreover a month. That is nan aforesaid for a batch of players."

Ten Hag included striker Joshua Zirkzee successful that. The Netherlands guardant had a unusual game, mixing a batch of aimless passes pinch getting United’s champion chances, 1 of which he put wide, nan different brilliantly saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Matthijs de Ligt did not look wholly comfortable astatine nan backmost alongside Lisandro Martinez, while England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was exposed excessively often by Ryan Gravenberch, who excelled successful nan cardinal positions for nan visitors.

Ten Hag became embroiled successful an statement pinch a journalist successful his post-match media conference.

The erstwhile Ajax coach said he had a "different vision" to nan 1 put guardant astir his broadside making nan aforesaid mistakes for 2 years, "otherwise we wouldn't triumph trophies and hit bigger opponents".

"I don’t want to talk astir positives today," he said. "This conclusion hurts for america and our fans.

"It is nan 3rd crippled of nan season. I person had to explicate this truthful galore times. We person to build a caller team. We will beryllium good but it is clear we person to improve.

"At nan extremity of nan play I americium rather assured we will person a large chance to assistance different trophy."

Veteran Brazil midfielder Casemiro was astatine responsibility for nan first 2 Liverpool goals.

He gave nan shot consecutive to Gravenberch heavy successful United’s ain half for nan first, and was nudged disconnected nan shot by Diaz excessively easy for nan second.

Ten Hag took nan bold determination to switch nan erstwhile Real Madrid man pinch 20-year-old Toby Collyer astatine half-time.

A video emerged connected societal media which was claimed to show Casemiro leaving Old Trafford early - which Ten Hag rejected.

"He didn’t time off nan stadium astatine half-time," nan head said. "I met him successful nan dressing room aft nan game.

"I took him disconnected because we were 2-0 down against an force for illustration Liverpool. We had to return risks because we wanted to bounce backmost and needed players successful midfield who tin screen nan ground.

"He won everything successful his career. I americium judge he will support contributing to our team."