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Erik ten Hag admits he is at a loss to explain Manchester United\u2019s poor defensive performances.<\/p>\n
The Red Devils have conceded 14 goals in their last five games and 10 in the last three, with three goals against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday not enough even to earn them a point.<\/p>\n
United boss Ten Hag said: \u201cWe have shown that we can do it because last year we had the most clean sheets in the Premier League because of the team, because we defended very good as a team, so we have to get back to that standard.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I am pushing the team and demanding from the team, and from the start of the season, but they are human beings, not robots, so, why they are not doing it, I try to find out and I try to give the solutions and try to motivate the players to do the job.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhen you are in a period like we are in always as a manager you are asking yourself these questions. My job is to get them to do the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
On United\u2019s tendency to concede goals soon after a restart, Ten Hag added: \u201c(We\u2019re) not concerned but we are aware of it. Of course you can\u2019t close your eyes for things like this so we coach the players, we coach the team in that fact.\u201d<\/p>\n
Question marks have been raised about the attitude of United\u2019s squad, with clips from the Bayern game apparently showing players not chasing back as hard as they might.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag does not believe a lack of willingness was to blame, though, saying: \u201cIt\u2019s always a concern when we didn\u2019t run but I think against Bayern it was not the case.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn certain situations yes so it\u2019s also to recognise in which situation is it about they didn\u2019t recognise it and didn\u2019t make the right decisions or is it about willingness?<\/p>\n
\u201cAgainst Spurs, we didn\u2019t run too much. But I think against Bayern we did our best from physical outputs but we didn\u2019t always run in the right moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we bounced back like we did in Munich, you can\u2019t say the spirit isn\u2019t right. I think we have other problems than that.\u201d<\/p>\n