Erik ten Hag Provides Insight on Decision to Make Man Utd Players Witness Man City's FA Cup Celebration Following Defeat

In a bid to fuel his team's determination to win in the future, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag made his players watch their arch-rivals Manchester City lift the FA Cup. 

Following their 2-1 defeat at Wembley on Saturday, the defeated United players were forced to witness Ilkay Gundogan and the rest of the City team celebrate their victory. Ten Hag explained that he wanted his players to experience the pain of losing the match, hoping it would drive them to beat City the next time they face each other.

Ten Hag emphasized the importance of respect but acknowledged that the sight of City's triumph should serve as motivation and a reminder of the disappointment. He expressed his belief that the defeat should fuel their determination to succeed, urging his team to take the next step forward.

The Dutch manager praised Manchester City for their hard-fought win in a tense final and commended his own side for staying competitive until the end. However, he strongly criticized his team for conceding both goals from set plays. Ten Hag stressed the significance of attention to detail in big matches, emphasizing the need for better organization and execution.

Although he refrained from directly criticizing goalkeeper David de Gea, Ten Hag acknowledged that the Spaniard could have performed better to prevent Gundogan's goals. He noted that the team is moving in the right direction but highlighted areas that require improvement in order to compete for trophies consistently.

Looking ahead, Manchester United will now embark on a well-deserved break after a grueling 62-game season. 

Their pre-season preparations are set to commence on July 12, with a match against Leeds in Norway. Despite the disappointment of the FA Cup loss, Ten Hag expressed his satisfaction with the team's overall performance throughout the season, including their achievements of finishing third in the league, qualifying for the Champions League, winning a trophy, and reaching another final.