Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes that the negativity surrounding the club last season was so severe that it led to injuries among his players. He suggests that some members of his squad were not mentally resilient enough to handle the criticism they received, resulting in their inability to play through pain.
The Red Devils experienced an unprecedented number of injuries to crucial players as they struggled to an eighth-place finish, marking their worst-ever performance in the Premier League with a goal difference of minus one.
Despite ending the season on a positive note by defeating Manchester City to clinch the FA Cup and secure a spot in the Europa League, it was a season marked by significant underachievement and frustration.
Ten Hag was hampered by a lack of personnel, particularly in defence, which prevented him from maintaining consistency in his team selection. The United boss was forced to utilise over 30 different defensive combinations throughout the season.
However, Ten Hag has privately admitted that he believes much of the negativity that enveloped United last season seeped into the players' minds, leaving many unable to perform even with minor injury concerns, according to the Mirror.
This sentiment is believed to have been particularly true for forward Anthony Martial, who last featured for United on December 9 of the previous year and spent the rest of the season sidelined due to injury.
Man Utd beat Man City in the FA Cup final (Image: Getty)
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Martial, who joined United from Monaco for an initial fee of £36million and spent nine years at the club, departed this summer when his contract expired. His tenure at United yielded a disappointing return of 90 goals from 317 appearances.
Jonny Evans, initially signed as a backup, became a regular fixture in Manchester United's defence last season due to injuries, with Lisandro Martinez limited to just 14 games.
Willy Kambwala, a teenage sensation who missed out on the pre-season tour, was unexpectedly called up amidst an injury crisis, with Erik ten Hag admitting to insiders it was "crazy" to have such a green player in the first team.
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Erik ten Hag had hoped to carefully manage the game time of 19 year old midfield prodigy Kobbie Mainoo, but a thin squad meant the youngster was thrust into regular action.
Alejandro Garnacho, 19, ended up starting the final 38 matches for United last term, although he and Mainoo both netted in the thrilling 2-1 FA Cup victory over City.
