Erik ten Hag had sounded understanding and supportive. His players were neither robots nor machines, he said, much as he wants them to be relentless. He balanced mentions of an unacceptable performance against Newcastle with those of the matches that show his team have the aptitude for the big occasion and the ability to deliver.
But amongst it all came a warning. Newcastle was a reminder Manchester United occasionally fall very short of the levels their manager demands. What if some never learn the lesson that they always need to be hungry? “When they can’t get this, then they are in the wrong place,” Ten Hag countered.
