Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag has explained why he was aggressive towards Anthony Martial in his team’s 3-1 loss to Newcastle United at the St. James’ Park. The striker obviously annoyed the Dutchman, who yelled at him from the touchline.
Rather than selecting summer signing, Rasmus Hojlund, Martial was selected. But Newcastle triumphed 1-0, leaving him and United with a night to forget.
The Red Devils were by far the second-best team on the day, so the scoreline didn’t really tell the story. It took until ten minutes into the second half for the Magpies to take the lead, as Anthony Gordon swept home from close range.
But in the first 45 minutes, there was a major talking point. Ten Hag and Martial got into a heated argument as Newcastle dominated, with Ten Hag yelling across the field at the forward who was standing in the center circle at the moment.
With a wave of his arms, Martial gave his manager some taste. According to the Daily Express, Ten Hag acknowledges he treated the 27-year-old in a “aggressive” manner.
What Did Ten Hag Say About Martial In Newcastle Loss?
But he asserted that it was customary behavior during a game. Ten Hag said: “It’s not about Anthony Martial, it’s about the team.
“I try to energise the team and try to get a reaction from the team in this moment. As you see, we had a tough period and when you’re coaching you are a little more aggressive, so that’s normal.”
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Martial made his second consecutive league start, and only his fourth overall in the top division this season. He is now in the last year of his United contract, though the club have the option to extend it by an additional year.
United are set to play host Chelsea on Wednesday and Bournemouth on Saturday before facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League, which is a must-win game the following week.
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