'That's why I rail against it' - Under-fire Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag fiercely defended by Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou amid Spurs' own slow start

United currently sitting 11th in the Premier League, just one spot behind Tottenham, have seen a sharp spike in criticism after two disappointing draws against Crystal Palace and FC Twente. The slow start has put Ten Hag's position under the scanner as INEOS want to see a marked improvement in the performance againt the north-London side on Sunday afternoon.

However, Postecoglou expressed empathy for Ten Hag, pointing out the unfair nature of the criticism being levelled at the Dutchman. Since taking over at United, Ten Hag has led the club to success, winning the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup in his tenure of just over two seasons. Postecoglou believes that managers should be judged on their overall contribution and remarked that the pressure to simply "win something" is misleading and unrealistic.

“I think if Erik hadn’t won anything last year, they would be saying he’s just got to win something and everything will be alright,” Postecoglou told reporters.

“That’s probably why I rail against it, because it’s a trap you can fall into, thinking all I have to do [at Tottenham] is win something and everyone is going to love me and think I’m doing a great job. That doesn’t exist. That’s why I keep saying the focus is on trying to build a group that can have the opportunity to have sustainable success. I think you need to do that because success isn’t guaranteed.

“But if you can create something that gives you the opportunity for it on a year-on-year basis, then I think you’ve got more chance of creating a period where the club can undeniably see itself as a contender.”

Postecoglou also touched on the immense pressure that comes with the role of football management, particularly at top clubs like Manchester United. Reflecting on the constant noise and criticism surrounding Ten Hag, he said, "I don’t know who coined the phrase ‘the impossible job’, but I think it’s become even more impossible now because it seems like success is not enough if it doesn’t have identity, [and] identity is not enough unless it’s followed by aesthetics. Aesthetics are not enough unless they’re followed by legacy. There’s always another layer. It seems like no one is doing a good job unless you win the competition at the end of the year.

"The more experience you have maybe the better you deal with these things. Although maybe a young manager who is growing up in this maybe deals with it even better than somebody who is like me and come through different eras of how managers are assessed.”

Postecoglou has been able to release the pressure valve by picking up three successive victories across competitions against Coventry City, Brentford and Qarabag. Now, if he manages to shoot down United at Old Trafford, it will be a massive scalp for the Australian.