Ten Hag blasts 'unacceptable' Man Utd pre-season letdown as manager continues to demand more from team

Erik ten Hag has slammed Manchester United for an "unacceptable" collapse in their 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday. The Red Devils went two goals up through Jadon Sancho and an own goal, but Villa fought back to pull level in second-half stoppage time.

Manchester United's dip in focus left the new manager infuriated and said that they had no excuses for not clinching the win.

The Red Devils are trying to build their winning mentality back up after a disappointing 2021-22 term, and Ten Hag has set high expectations right away.

What did Ten Hag say about Man Utd's slip up against Aston Villa?

Ten Hag said after the game: "We had a lot of movement behind the defending line, scored two great goals so we were 2-0 up at half-time and then our focus dropped.

"It can be that the guys are tired but that's not an excuse. They have to perform and it is what we didn't do in the second half. In the first half we were really good.

"It was the focus."

He added: "I don't want to make excuses about the pitch or weather. No matter what we have to perform.

"Football is a sport of mistakes and we have to decrease the mistakes. That's clear but I have seen a lot of progress in these two weeks.

"In the first half I saw really good football, really controlling and dominating the game but we have to learn from what happened in the second half. It's not possible that you go 2-0 and then throw it away.

"That's what I just said in the dressing room, a drop of focus is unacceptable but to the season I'm happy because now I can tell them it cannot happen.

"We have to get out of the dressing room and back in your plan and your focus and back to your performance and that is what we didn't do."

What next for Man Utd?

Ten Hag's men will be in action again next Saturday when they take on Atletico Madrid in another friendly.

They will then round off their pre-season tour the following day with a match against Rayo Vallecano.

United's Premier League campaign will commence on August 7 with a home game against Brighton with a trip to Brentford to follow on August 13.