The decision made by Ten Hag to replace Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund with Scott McTominay and Amad in the middle of the second half, when the game was still scoreless, was met with a great deal of anger from Old Trafford supporters.
The choice that Hojlund made early in the season to not play in games against Brighton and Manchester City was met with jeers from the fans.
When Antony scored 11 minutes before the end of the game, it appeared as though United would be able to walk away unscathed.
However, a mistake made by Andre Onana led to a late penalty kick, which Zeki Amdouni converted, and the home fans booed when the final whistle blew.
Ten Hag provided an explanation for his double move by noting that the young players on his team required protection from the exhaustion that had accumulated.
In addition, he asked for patience while he was constructing his group at United.
“They are fans, but I have to manage the team first and foremost, and you see what the game requires; by that time, we need some freshness, but also some technical ability, to bring in a guy who can keep the ball and is creative,” Ten Hag remarked. “It is my responsibility to manage the team.”
“In the middle of the field, it was a pretty high-intensity game that went up and down, and there was some exhaustion in Rasmus and Kobbie, who are very young boys; it was the recommended choice.
You see some benefit in putting Scott’s fresh legs in a position where it is so open; he is so effective in those scenarios and can make some penetrations from there. You see some value in this.
It is a week filled with three games for us. Due to the fact that Burnley had days off, it is fairly normal to expect players who are still in their first year in the Premier League to give their best performance in a game that is really intense.
During this season, Rasmus Hojlund has sustained a greater number of injuries, and Kobbie has sustained two significant injuries; hence, I do not want either of them to sustain injuries, and I also safeguard them.
People are interested in seeing what attributes these players bring to the club and how they contribute to the organization, and I am aware of this.
It is not a problem for me, but I have to carry out my duties, and that is the answer that is appropriate.
Ten Hag urged the owners and fans to be patient while he worked to build the squad, citing the youth and inexperience of his team, particularly in Hojlund, Mainoo, and Alejandro Garnacho.
He also used the fact that his team was young and inexperienced.
It is because we have certain players that are extremely young that we are in the process of rebuilding this team. He stated, “That may take some time.”
We bring in young players such as Garnacho, Hojlund, and Mainoo; all of them are playing in their first season in the Premier League, which is becoming increasingly competitive with each passing year. In comparison to the previous season, it is more intense.
It takes some time for those guys to adjust to their new environment.
Although I am excited, I must remind myself that we, along with the supporters, require patience; we are building a team here, and we require experience.
It is imperative that you keep your focus until the very finish, even when you are feeling tired.
Over the course of this season, the additional time was used to extend seven, eight, nine, or 10 minutes to a game in order to maintain the momentum.
They are required to overcome that barrier, and the only way for them to acquire this knowledge is through experience.
Ten Hag also addressed critics who compare his United squad to some of the best teams from previous eras.
These critics include teams from the early to middle 2000s that were rebuilding under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson or other similar teams.
“That is a full and utter contradiction. During the years 2004, 2005, the great Manchester United teams were also being built.
Although they did not play amazing football, they were in the process of constructing, and progress takes time, he explained.
The fact that the players on the team were having difficulty and required some time to progress is something that everyone forgets.
