Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag credited his side’s “almost perfect” defending for a 0-0 draw at Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday after it crashed out of Europe in midweek.
On a night when many fans and pundits expected even more misery for United, it instead ended Liverpool’s sparkling 11-game run of victories at Anfield in all competitions and stopped its rival from reclaiming top spot in the table.
“The way we defended it was almost perfect,” Ten Hag said. “When we made a mistake there was always a team mate to sort it out. I think that is the big win from today ... always you have to fight for each other. At Manchester United it is always the same -- we against the rest.”
The draw will be some measure of relief for the beleaguered Dutch manager after rumours of unrest in the dressing room in recent weeks raised questions about his job security.
Ten Hag has repeatedly said his players are behind him and reiterated that sentiment on Sunday when asked if the fight they showed at Anfield proved that.
“I told you,” he answered.
After United’s 3-0 league loss at home to Bournemouth last week, coupled with the fact they were throttled 7-0 at Anfield last season -- some Liverpool fans were wearing “7-0” Christmas sweaters to Sunday’s game. It was not surprising therefore that many United fans celebrated the draw as a victory.
“Today there was no doubt the clouds were circling and there was no Manchester United fan, including myself, that thought United would come out of here alive,” former United defender Gary Neville said on Sky Sports.
“Well done to them for showing a little bit of fight. To get a point here and a clean sheet is an unexpected result.”
“I’m surprised it was a draw. I didn’t think Manchester United had a clean sheet in them,” he added. “I didn’t think they had a defensive performance like that in them.”
Fellow ex-United player Roy Keane said Ten Hag’s side would be delighted with a draw that leaves them in seventh place.
“Liverpool were by far the better team but they were off it in the final third,” Keane said on Sky Sports. “It’s a start (for United), but the problems are still there, lack of power, lack of goals...”
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Ten Hag praised defenders Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans plus goalkeeper Andre Onana, who stood strong against Liverpool’s 34 shots to United’s six.
“(Varane) did very well in the partnership with Jonny Evans, both leading the team from the back. I think Andre Onana played a big part or in it,” he said. “But I can mention all the players because it was really a very disciplined team.”
Now they have to show that spirit on a daily basis, Ten Hag added.
“You have to fight always for the badge,” the Dutchman said. “We play in very high highs and also sometimes in very low lows. If you want to achieve something in a season you can’t be below certain limits so we have to get the consistency.”
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