Erik ten Hag has firmly defended his team following comments from former Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy. The 46-year-old, who previously served as an assistant coach under Ten Hag at Manchester United, criticised the Dutchman in a recent interview, accusing him of “lacking passion” and “wasting Cristiano Ronaldo.”

The Man United manager is facing increasing pressure at Old Trafford following a poor start to the season, worsened by consecutive 3-0 home defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham in the Premier League. A trip to Porto nearly ended in further embarrassment, but a 91st-minute equalizer from Harry Maguire salvaged a 3-3 draw during Thursday night’s Europa League tie.

Before the Red Devils extended their winless streak to four games midweek, Ten Hag was pressed about McCarthy’s harsh critique. Unfazed by the criticism, the former Ajax boss swiftly brushed it aside, once again pointing to his growing trophy cabinet since stepping foot in the Theatre of Dreams – a high-handed move he’s used more than once to silence his doubters.

What McCarthy Said About Ten Hag

He said things “are not easy” under his leadership

Former Blackburn and West Ham striker Benni McCarthy, 46, who served as Ten Hag’s assistant for two years before departing this summer, hasn’t held back in his critique. McCarthy delivered a blunt, no-nonsense assessment of the ex-Ajax boss’s personality, making it clear he’s not one to mince words.

Speaking to Zero Zero, he said: “He lacks a bit of that fire, that passion. That’s where we differ, him and I. I think that was one of the difficulties that the team and the players encountered.” While he added: “Before I joined the team, I always had to communicate my thoughts to the head coach, which is normal. For someone like me, with strong convictions, it’s not easy. Erik always had the final say.”

McCarthy didn’t shy away from addressing Cristiano Ronaldo’s fractured relationship with Ten Hag either. The Portuguese icon returned to Manchester United in 2021 but parted ways in under 18 months, following a high-profile clash with the Dutchman. The tension between the two remains palpable, with Ronaldo also having recently taken a swipe at Ten Hag’s “lack of ambition.”

The United boss fired back, dismissively noting that Ronaldo is now “far away in Saudi.” Despite the war of words, though, McCarthy believes Ten Hag could have managed the situation with Ronaldo far more gracefully. “If we work as a team and then let Cristiano do what he needs to do in his position, because he is the best in the world at it, that is ideal,” he continued. “I think Manchester United wasted a great opportunity.”

Erik Ten Hag Hits Back

The Dutchman is confused by his former right-hand man’s comments

Despite Man United languishing in 13th place in the Premier League and still searching for their first Europa League win – despite splashing out £600 million on new talent in the last 24 months – Ten Hag stubbornly remains entrenched on the hill he’s determined to die on. He said:

“I don’t know what he means. When you win trophies, you can’t do this without passion and desire.”

In his two seasons in the Old Trafford dugout, Ten Hag has clinched two trophies, securing the League Cup in his debut year and steering the team to FA Cup glory last season – a feat which Gary Neville said he didn’t expect the Dutchman to achieve until four or five years into the job when he was first appointed.

However, the United faithful are starting to grow weary of relying on domestic cup competitions, especially as the club’s league performance leaves much to be desired. This season, United has already suffered three defeats in six Premier League matches – matching the total number of league losses that champions Manchester City experienced throughout the entirety of the previous campaign.

With the pressure steadily escalating, Ten Hag will be under intense scrutiny as his side heads to Villa Park this weekend, where every decision he makes could be pivotal as he walks along the managerial tightrope. After the humiliating defeat to Tottenham, he was given the leeway of two more fixtures, so the consensus now is that, after a draw in Portugal, anything but a victory against high-flying Aston Villa will ultimately cost Ten Hag his P45.