Erik ten Hag hits back after Man Utd boos and says it was 'right decision' to take off Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund against Burnley
Erik ten Hag responded to fans' booing as he explained why he replaced Kobbie Mainoo against Burnley.
.Ten Hag responds to fan criticism
.Booed for replacing Mainoo and Hojlund
.United held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Dutch manager faced backlash at Old Trafford on Saturday as fans booed his decision to substitute Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund with Scott McTominay and Amad Diallo respectively in the 65th minute. The Red Devils failed to hold on to their lead as Zeki Amdouni's 87th-minute strike from the penalty spot secured relegation-threatened Burnley a crucial away point.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
After the match, Ten Hag defended his decision to replace the fan-favourite players as he claimed the young guns needed some rest. The Premier League giants have won just once in their last five league games and are now virtually out of the top-four race.
WHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID
Speaking to reporters after the game, the United boss said, "What the crowd doesn't understand is it's a 19-year-old boy [Mainoo] in his first Premier League season. It was a third game in a week and we have to manage the game load. We don't want him to be injured. Last year, he had two bad injuries. You can see he gets tired. I want to protect him.
"Of course, by bringing Scott on, the game was really open, really intense with one-on-ones all over the pitch. Kobbie got tired and Scott had fresh legs and is very good, making movements and attacks down the middle."
"I have to manage the team and I have to, of course, be winning games. That's first of all and see what the game needs. By that time, we needed some freshness, first of all. But also tactical wise, brining a player up who can keep the ball and who is creative in Amad.
"So they were subbed and it was the right decision. You see, after, we took some benefit from it, by bringing in the fresh legs and Scott in the position where it's so open. He's very good in such situations and he can make penetrations from there. That also happened. We put ourselves in a winning position. We had three games and Burnley have had days off and it's totally logical to bring players off who are very young, who are in the first year in the Premier League and then don't even talk about the injury risk.
"Rasmus Hojlund had more injuries already in the course of this season. Kobbie also had some injuries. So I don't want them to get injured. I protected them as well. So there are more reasons to make the subs but I understand that the fans, they want to see the skills those players are bringing and contribute to the team. I understand that but I have to do my job and that is the right decision."
WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
Ten Hag's men will be next seen in action on May 7 as they travel to London to face Crystal Palace in a Premier League clash.
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