COMMENT: He felt compelled to say it. To defend himself. But you hope Erik ten Hag's words were motivated by what he's hearing from outside the club - and not from anything that's reached him from inside Manchester United.
The records are tumbling - and not in a good way. Defeat at West Ham United on Saturday marked United's worst run pre-Christmas since 1930. A fourth consecutive game without a goal the worst seen since 1992. And the record of 18 goals this season their worst since 1974.
It's not good. It really isn't. But of course there's circumstance. Context. And as Ten Hag highlighted in the media room at London stadium after Saturday's 2-0 defeat, the Dutchman hasn't suddenly become a bad coach in just six months.
"At this moment we are not top, but we have seen last week against the top of this league we were head-to-head," said Ten Hag.
"In 2023, we won a cup, we played the FA Cup final, we were third in the league. There were highlights but we were over-performing, but in this moment we are underperforming."
Did he have to say that? Remind people of how well placed he had the club at the end of last season? In an ideal world, of course not. But this is the Premier League. The rollercoaster of extremes. And it's clear those ridiculous rumours about Graham Potter and Carlo Ancelotti have reached him. No matter the state of his squad. The queue around the corridor to check into Carrington's medical room. The sack speculation will continue.
United are in crisis. There's no getting away from that. But it's an injury crisis. Something that's completely out of Ten Hag's hands. At West Ham, United had a free transfer who was a step away from retirement lining up alongside a debutant at centre-half. There was an 18 year-old in midfield. And an 19 year-old on a flank. Could Potter have found a better tune out of such options? Ancelotti? Of course not.
"There are reasons for it [the loss], we have many injuries, so the team will be better if the injured ones return," said Ten Hag. "We have to be calm, stick together, stick to the plan, we have to do it together."
He's right, is Ten Hag. There's no other option. The club needs to bunker down and bank on things turning. Even after the Liverpool result, Ten Hag found himself shorn of half of that valiant back four for the trip to London. The suspension of Diogo Dalot and an illness for Rapha Varane, rated best afield at Anfield, forcing Ten Hag to turn to Jonny Evans and Willy Kambwala on the day. It's circumstances that have plagued United and their manager throughout the season.
Is it an excuse? No. Of course the fans should expect better from those in a United shirt. But they're undermanned. And they haven't been allowed to run themselves into form. Things aren't falling United's way. And as much as United's reputation should carry them, a glance at Saturday's line-up offered little in terms of a genuine winning expectation. The returning Bruno Fernandes apart, whether due to inexperience or poor form, no other player in the away team could be regarded as a potential matchwinner. Scott McTominay. Antony. Alejandro Garnacho. They're capable. They've done it in the past. But it's more unexpected than anything else.
As has this season. No-one saw this coming inside Old Trafford at the end of last term. The place was jumping. Ten Hag and his staff had transformed the club. Lisandro Martinez and Antony were being celebrated not just for what they were doing on the pitch, but how they had lifted the craque around the club and training ground. Ten Hag was being praised for bringing in players who could knit the place together.
“He's been magnificent," former United winger and MUTV pundit Ben Thornley told Tribalfootball.com before last season's FA Cup final. "He's been exemplary in the things he's done and said and the way he's acted.
"The result being a third place, we're back in the Champions League, we've won a trophy and have a chance of adding one more."
Again, that was barely six months ago. When given the chance. When given the right circumstances. Ten Hag has shown he is the right manager for Manchester United. If he feels the need to defend his record, then so be it.
But you do hope his words are only for those outside the club. This is no time for Manchester United to be wavering on their manager.
