Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag insisted his side were “very good” against Bayern Munich despite losing meekly at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
Former Spurs striker Harry Kane set up Kingsley Coman to score the only goal of a game the red Devils needed to win to have any chance of reaching the knockout stage of the Uefa Champions League.
Man United took just five shots on goal all evening, only one of which came from inside the box while the rest were speculative efforts from range, but the Dutchman argued that they deserved to get something from the game anyway.
“We didn’t lose it today, that’s clear,” he told TNT Sports. “We had good performance but also we made mistakes. Individual errors. In the end it was not good enough.
“Today’s performance was very good, we didn’t deserve to lose, but we lost the game.
“The team did very well. We were very good in defending organisations, very good in the pressing. But we did not take enough benefit from it, that’s the truth. But also Bayern is a good team. Even when they are not in the game, they have individual class and just need one moment. Unfortunately that happened.
“We know we want to be more consistent. As manager I have to improve the team, I have to guide them and the players have to take the responsibility. We have to do that together.
“The players gave everything, you saw the spirit. I have to credit the team, big compliments to the way they worked together, as a team, against a good Bayern side.
“You need energy from the bench, especially our front line, the options were limited.”
With FC Copenhagen beating Galatasaray in the other game in Group A, Man United finished bottom with just four points – the fewest they have ever gained in a Champions League group stage.
When asked how he would look back on the campaign, Ten Hag answered: “Not with regret.
“We didn’t make it, but we have to accept it. We have to learn from it. We played some good football in the Champions League. We have to take some good performance into the Premier League. We want to be back [in the Champions League].”
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