Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag insisted his team was in control throughout Wednesday’s Premier League match against Sheffield United, despite twice needing to come from behind to beat the relegation-threatened Blades 4-2.
In a topsy-turvy encounter at Old Trafford, Harry Maguire canceled out Jayden Bogle’s opener before Ben Brereton Diaz restored Sheffield United’s lead early in the second half. Bruno Fernandes took over from there, scoring twice – once from the penalty spot – and assisting another for Rasmus Hojlund.
While United dominated possession and attempts at goal, Ten Hag acknowledged the defensive lapses that allowed Sheffield United to score. He emphasized the need for focus and discipline to avoid such errors in the future.
Captain Fernandes’ performance proved crucial in United’s comeback. “He shows his leadership,” said Ten Hag. “He tries to encourage the team. He is doing very well and we are very pleased with his performance and with his attitude.”
For Sheffield United, the defeat pushed them closer to relegation, now 10 points from safety with four games left to play. Manager Chris Wilder praised his team’s effort but lamented the defensive mistakes that ultimately cost them points.
“Those are the positives,” said Wilder. “But the negative is yet again, if we do things a little bit differently from a our defensive point of view, not just tonight, but we come away with many more points than what we’ve got and we wouldn’t be in this position. But we are.”
