Goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford before the break appeared to have won the game for United at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Thursday night, but the home side had other ideas.
Spurs looked transformed in the second-half with Pedro Porro’s stunning volley starting the comeback before Son Heung-min equalised with just 11 minutes to go.
Though Ryan Mason’s side deserve a lot of credit for their spirited display, United were far from their ruthless best, squandering great chances, most notably when Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar from just a few yards out.
Ten Hag also received criticism for his use of substitutions, with changes made after Porro’s goal only aiding Spurs’ cause as United failed to get a hold of the game like they had in the first-half.
Fred was bought on in place of Christian Eriksen to help settle the game but instead endured a woeful evening, as did Anthony Martial and Tyrell Malacia who came on later for Sancho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with the left-back ultimately at fault for the equalising goal.
Ten Hag has now revealed that he anticipated Spurs would fightback as the did and prepared his subs to come on before Porro scored but was too late.
The manager told BT Sport: ‘It was the same as before half-time. We lose control, we conceded the goal – you could see it coming and I had already prepared the subs, but I was a little bit too late.
‘Manage the game, keep the ball. We gave so many easy balls away. Have a good defensive organisation, which we didn’t always have.
‘With the goals [we conceded], it was quite obvious – we didn’t block the crosses and you have to be proactive there. You have to come out and block the shot.
‘With the second [goal] it was a long ball and we didn’t squeeze out, it was so easy for them. They kept coming and it was so easy to score a goal then.’
The result means United stay fourth, six points head of fifth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand, but they are now two points behind Newcastle, albeit with a game in hand, after the Magpies beat Everton 4-1 at Goodison Park.
‘My opinion was that we didn’t play that well. We were not clinical enough but we scored two times and then you have to finish the game,’ Ten Had added when speaking to BBC Sport.
‘Of course [Fernandes hitting the bar was frustrating], but don’t blame it one one player. We weren’t clinical enough and I think we had to score more. The goals we conceded were too easy and we could have avoided them.
‘We came here, as every game, we come to win. It was clear how they managed the game and we wanted to win, which we didn’t. Before I think a draw was ok but when you see this game you have to get over the line.
‘If we win on Sunday [against another top four rival in Aston Villa], that will be a great week but first we have to get there and we need all the energy. Recover, get ready for the game, get the focus and go again.’
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