Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United are unlucky, but there’s more to the story

You might have watched Manchester United make it to their second FA Cup final in as many seasons thanks to Haji Wright’s left boot, and thought it was lucky that they didn’t collapse from a 3-0 lead against a Championship team.

But Erik ten Hag didn’t see it as luck. In fact, he was very passionate in his post-match press conference, especially when talking about Coventry City’s stoppage-time penalty, calling it an “absolutely crazy” decision to penalize Aaron Wan-Bissaka for a handball.

Before United’s last Premier League match against Bournemouth, Ten Hag talked about his team’s bad luck over the past eight months, acknowledging that as the leader, he ultimately takes responsibility for the results.

He mentioned, “A lot has gone against us this season,” with a focus on the penalties conceded by United, feeling that luck has not been on their side in that aspect.

United has received five penalties and conceded 11 this season, with most of the Premier League penalties being a source of debate.

Aside from the refereeing decisions, injuries have been a major issue for United, with almost the entire senior squad spending time sidelined. This has affected the consistency of the team’s lineup and performance.

Ten Hag has been unable to field his preferred starting XI since January of last year due to injuries, and new concerns continue to arise.

United has been working on restructuring their medical department since the arrival of head of sports medicine Gary O’Driscoll, which has reportedly shown improvements. Ten Hag’s training methods have also been scrutinized for their intensity and style.

Despite facing numerous shots on goal this season, United’s defense has held up relatively well compared to the expected goals conceded. Their actual goal difference is not as bad as expected, considering the shots they’ve faced.

Despite the challenges, United now have a run of favorable fixtures against the bottom two teams in the Premier League. They have the opportunity to prove their quality without relying on luck to win.

(Top photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)