Erik ten Hag makes admission about Manchester United substitutions in Man City win

Erik ten Hag was planning to make two substitutions with Man United 1-0 down and they eventually came on with United 2-1 up.

Erik ten Hag scrapped a double substitution before Manchester United’s four-minute turnaround against Manchester City.

Lisandro Martinez and Scott McTominay were ready to come on with City 1-0 up and the Old Trafford compere, Alan Keegan, mistakenly started to announce their arrivals with the game in progress.

However, United equalised through Bruno Fernandes in the 78th minute and Ten Hag abandoned the changes and instructed McTominay and Martinez to warm up again. United then went ahead in the 82nd minute when Marcus Rashford turned in Alejandro Garnacho’s cross.

“Of course, you always think about how you can change a game and after half time I think we didn’t come out well,” Ten Hag said. “You can also say City changed something that gave us problems.

“We struggled in the game, you analyse in the game and try to get back the control of the first half. The first half we were really brilliant, so good defending, organisation, the tactical (side), they did so well, the team, so proactive. Good block, and in the break we created chances, for example Marcus Rashford’s one-against-one. And at half-time I had a feeling we should be ahead.

“After half-time, the game was totally different. We didn’t get the press, Rodri was too much on the ball, Walker was too much inside and we didn’t get the control there, so you try to change that and it’s the same when you are down, you try to change the game.

“First, we did it by bringing Garnacho on and then you have to bring the energy with Scott, hoping for more penetration and I would change also Martinez, bring him in and build him up, with Shaw on the left side to penetrate the right areas.