Erik ten Hag takes thinly-veiled dig at Man Utd board to explain Alejandro Garnacho sub

Erik ten Hag directed a thinly-veiled message to Manchester United’s board over his “limited” attacking options after losing 3-2 to Arsenal on Sunday.

The Red Devils saw their faint title hopes quickly put to bed by Eddie Nketiah’s late goal at the Emirates Stadium having led through Marcus Rashford’s strike before Lisandro Martinez looked to have salvaged a point. Ten Hag made just one change prior to Nketiah’s winner, hauling off the disappointing Antony for midfielder Fred on 71 minutes.

Despite the game being at a deadlock for almost the last half hour, the Dutch coach opted against bringing on youngster Alejandro Garnacho until his side had fallen behind in stoppage time. And Ten Hag explained his decision was more out of a lack of personnel, in a window where loan signing Wout Weghorst looks likely to be their only addition.

“It was the best set-up to win this game,” Ten Hag said after the game. “And of course we had some considerations to bring players in, especially Garnacho can have an impact.

“But we need a good press, we conceded two already from a corner, short corners but a lot of crosses there. And so I think Wout did a really good job there in the pressing, and in the heading on set plays.

“So Rashy – you don’t want to take him off – with Bruno [Fernandes] already we make a tactical (change) and I think almost it came out, a really good position from him and pass to Rashford in the back of the defending line and the moment between the defending line and the keeper, so we had our moments there and we also missed some players.

“Also on the bench, you are limited offensively, we know that.”

Ten Hag was without the services of Anthony Martial who is recovering from injury, while Jadon Sancho is also still unavailable. United’s options have been depleted since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure, while Mason Greenwood remains suspended.

The arrival of Weghorst for the remainder of the season has seemingly provided a stop-gap until the summer when United are expected to launch a bid for a new striker, though the Glazers appear unwilling to invest this month as they look to sell the club.

Regardless, ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand feels Ten Hag left it too late to try and affect the game and feels he should have turned to 18-year-old Garnacho sooner. Speaking on his FIVE YouTube show, Ferdinand said: “I will say, if I was being picky with United, I thought maybe they should have brought on someone like Garnacho with 15 or 20 minutes to go just to give Arsenal something to think about.

“They were so on us. They were all over us because they knew there was nothing threatening in behind late on.

“Marcus by that point was probably a little bit shot in terms of energy, Wout Weghorst is never going to run away from anybody and Bruno Fernandes was playing out on the right, more of a midfielder without legs.

“Garnacho I thought would have been a great substitute. With hindsight it’s easy to say all this, but they [Arsenal] were the better team.”

Ferdinand continued by saying bringing on Garnacho in the latter stages with the scores levelled at 2-2 would have shown real intent from United to earn all three points – something Arsenal had the courage to do on their way to victory.

United also had Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri on the bench but neither were used, with Garnacho currently ahead of both in the pecking order. Ferdinand added: “It’s indicative of where Man Utd are that one of my first calls is for Garnacho to come on and change the game.

“But at the same, maybe it’s indicative of the talent he is as well. The kid is demanding it. Every time he puts on a red shirt for United he impacts the game, so why not keep calling for him.”