For the first time this season, a Manchester United player did not chat to the written press on Sunday. A few players mumbled answers in their obligatory mixed zone debriefs with the rights holders but skipped scrutiny from the written press.
Erik ten Hag had already held court curtly with them in the dressing room, lamenting the players’ lack of self-belief. Like obedient pupils, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes echoed their manager verbatim in their raw interviews.
In the press conference room, Erik ten Hag offered his “respect” to Cristiano Ronaldo with a peculiar answer legislating for his unused status. Kevin De Bruyne also paid his respect to ‘the king’ by obtaining Ronaldo’s sweatless shirt.
