Erik Ten Hag 'Hurt' By Manchester United's Narrow Loss In Community Shield

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Manchester United's Erik ten Hag expressed disappointment after their penalty shootout loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield. Alejandro Garnacho had put United ahead in the 82nd minute, but Bernardo Silva equalised seven minutes later, leading to a 1-1 draw and penalties. Both teams missed spot-kicks before Jonny Evans' miss allowed Manuel Akanji to secure a 7-6 victory for City.

Despite the defeat, Ten Hag found positives in United's performance. He noted that they matched City's level, created chances, and defended well. "Tough result to take," Ten Hag told ITV. "When the performance is right, when you lose, everyone feels this. It hurts in your stomach. You have to feel pain and we have to hurt."

United also had a Bruno Fernandes goal disallowed for offside, and Marcus Rashford hit the post. Ten Hag acknowledged these moments made the loss harder to accept but emphasised the importance of carrying this belief into the league.

Rashford had several opportunities but failed to score with any of his three shots, generating an expected goals (xG) of 0.72. After a strong first season under Ten Hag, Rashford struggled last year, scoring only eight goals across all competitions.

When asked about Rashford's confidence following his inability to test City's goalkeeper Ederson, Ten Hag dismissed concerns. "No, I think he was several times in very good positions," he said during his press conference. "I am very pleased he is getting in those positions."

Looking Ahead

The match marked the beginning of United's 2024/25 campaign. Despite the setback, Ten Hag urged his team to maintain faith and focus on their upcoming fixtures. "We managed to be on an equal level with Man City and got Rashford high on the pitch and good defending," he added.

The team will now shift their attention to their next match on Friday as they aim to build on their performance against City.

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United fans will be hoping for a better outcome as they continue their journey through the new season.