Matthijs de Ligt insists he did not join Man Utd just for Erik ten Hag as he claims his ex-Ajax boss was unlucky to be sacked

Ten Hag saw his tenure end after a narrow 2-1 defeat to West Ham United, a match overshadowed by controversy. The game's decisive moment arrived in the form of a penalty call, awarded to the Hammers after a clash between De Ligt and forward Danny Ings. Initially, match referee David Coote declined to give a penalty, but following a review prompted by VAR official Michael Oliver, a spot-kick was awarded. Ings converted from 12 yards to secure the three points for West Ham, while delivering a final blow to Ten Hag's embattled time at Old Trafford. Notably, Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer for PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), later expressed that the penalty decision was an error on the part of Oliver as the contact between De Ligt and Ings was insufficient to warrant a penalty.

De Ligt, visibly disappointed, defended his actions on the field, emphasising that he believed he had done nothing wrong in the fateful play. In a statement quoted by the Dutch publication De Telegraaf, De Ligt expressed his frustration: "Normally I am always self-critical and I can get annoyed about things that I do not do well. But here I could not do anything about it, I could not blame myself for it. The referee committee also called us to say that it was not a penalty.”

Reflecting on Ten Hag’s departure, De Ligt expressed sadness that their plans for success together at United had to end prematurely.

"He brought me to Manchester, the goal was to achieve success together with Erik," he added. "He has not been very lucky. We played well in many matches, but we did not use the chances we got. It is a shame that it has to end like this. A dismissal can always be quite hard. We discussed some things.”

As United moves forward under new leadership, the focus now shifts to Ruben Amorim, recently appointed to lead the Red Devils. The Portuguese manager arrives from Sporting Lisbon with a reputation for tactical acumen and a knack for developing young talent, qualities the United hierarchy hopes will bring stability and success.

“He did well at Sporting, hopefully, he can also take us to the next level," De Ligt said. "Amorim is not my first coach and he will not be my last coach. I did not only move to Manchester United for Ten Hag. It is still one of the biggest clubs in the world, I think. I just have to do my own thing and play well myself. I feel really fit now and things are going well. Hopefully I can continue that.”

Looking ahead, United will prepare for their next fixture in the Premier League, where Amorim will make his debut on November 24 against Ipswich Town at Portman Road. It marks the beginning of a new chapter for both the manager and the club, with supporters eager to see if Amorim can revitalise the team after a turbulent period.