Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag has reportedly declined to speak to the media ahead of United’s mouth-watering clash against Newcastle United in the 4th round of the Carabao cup.
The Red Devils are under tremendous pressure to bounce back from their crushing 3-0 home loss to Manchester City on Sunday. With another derby crushing at Old Trafford, Ten Hag is under more scrutiny than ever before, and his job as manager is being fiercely debated.
After Bruno Fernandes’ disdainful performance, United icon Roy Keane demanded that the captaincy be taken away from him.
A few hours after the devastating loss, struggling sensation Marcus Rashford was reportedly seen partying in Manchester with teammate Tyrell Malacia, drawing Ten Hag’s fury.
Fellow ex United skipper Gary Neville also unleashed another criticism against the club’s highly contentious owners, the Glazer family.
However, according to The Mirror, the Dutchman will not speak at a pre-match press conference before Wednesday’s game. Giving him the opportunity to steer clear of controversial subjects like Rashford and Malacia’s partying.
Before a Carabao Cup match, teams have no obligation to address the media, in contrast to the Premier League.
For cup games, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp frequently sends Pep Lijnders, his assistant, to handle pre-match media obligations.
See Also: Ex Premier League Star Slams ‘Off The Pace’ United Midfielder In Derby Defeat
Ten Hag only scheduled press conferences for the two semifinal matches against Nottingham Forest and the February final match, which his team won 2-0 at Wembley against Newcastle.
The 53-year-old could still communicate with the Red Devils’ internal media staff to provide fans with team news and other updates prior to Wednesday’s 8:15 p.m. kickoff.
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