Awkward moment Gary Lineker asks Erik ten Hag if it his last game in tense interview after Man Utd’s stunning FA Cup win
ERIK TEN HAG hit back in a tense interview after stunning Manchester City to win the FA Cup.
The Dutchman’s Manchester United side played superbly at Wembley to record a famous 2-1 win.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 25, 2024
Gary Lineker: "This could conceivably be your last game, do you know?"
Teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo sealed it for the Red Devils – before Jeremy Doku’s late consolation made it a nervy end.
But United held on to claim a 13th FA Cup crown.
However, the future of boss Ten Hag remains very unclear.
It is understood United planned to dismiss the former Ajax chief after the FA Cup final regardless of the result.
But the heroic performance on the pitch – as well as the players’ reaction to the manager after the win – may have urged Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the United hierarchy to change their mind.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag was pretty happy to speak his own when interviewed by Gary Lineker on Match of the Day beside the Wembley pitch.
Asked if the famous win over City was his last game in charge, the Dutchman said: “I don’t know.
“The only thing I’m doing is preparing my team, developing my team. This is a project for me.
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“When I came in I can say it was a mess. Now we are better. We are not where we want to be.
“Football is about winning trophies.
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“I want to play the best football, dynamic, attacking football but in the end you have to win games and trophies.
“That’s the mentality we brought in. This was our one opportunity and we did it. I‘m very proud of the players and staff.”
Ten Hag also made his feelings clear about the widespread criticism of his team – despite leading United to their worst-ever Premier League season as they finished eighth.
Lineker questioned whether the treatment from the media has been unfair.
Ten Hag replied: “I think so. The team. Me as well. It was not right.
“But we didn’t have the players. We have seen the same things, not always good football – definitely not – but we had to make compromises all the fime and then you can’t play the football you want to play.
“I had maybe three or four times in two years we had the full squad available. Even today we were missing massive players like Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Casemiro.
Erik ten Hag feels he and his Man Utd team have been treated unfairly
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 25, 2024
The @ManUtd players all wanted Erik ten Hag to have his moment with the trophy
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 25, 2024#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/izxUrkNJJX
“I tell you [media] this all year – when the players are fit we can play good football. A very good performance against the best team in the world.”
And amid talk of an imminent sacking, his bolshy attitude continued in the press conference.
Ten Hag added: “Two trophies in two seasons and three finals. That’s not bad.
“If they don’t want me any more I go somewhere else to win trophies. That is what I do.
“I am here to win and I want to build a team. My whole managerial career I have won games and trophies.
“When you see the last decade, there were not so many finals and trophies for this club.”
Before the game, a bombshell interview from Holland was published in which Ten Hag insisted he wants to help rebuild the club.
He also criticised pundits and fans who have “no sense of reality” regarding the state of the Old Trafford club.
Even in his pre-match chat at Wembley, Ten Hag was interrogated on his future.
He defiantly replied: “I am focused on the game and the team.
“I don’t talk about my future.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the team and winning the cup.”
But then Ten Hag set up a masterplan to allow his stars to do the talking – and they duly delivered.
Garnacho capitalised on a mix-up between Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega to tap into an empty net.
Then Bruno Fernandes produced a superb no-look, first-time pass to pick out Mainoo to slot home.
After surviving seven long minutes of injury time, Lisandro Martinez hoisted Ten Hag up in the air when the full-time whistle blew.
Then the players all urged the gaffer to have his moment in the spotlight, giving him the trophy to kiss and lift towards the red half of Wembley.
Ten Hag's five worst defeats
ERIK TEN HAG has suffered some heavy defeats during his tenure as Manchester United manager.
5. Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd, November 2023
The damaging defeat saw the Red Devils dumped out of the Champions League.
4. Man Utd 0-3 Bournemouth, December 2023
It was the first time the Cherries had ever won at Old Trafford with the players being booed off.
3. Brentford 4-0 Man Utd, August 2022
Perhaps a sign of things to come, in Ten Hag’s second Premier League game, his side was dismantled by the Bees.
2. Crystal Palace 4-0 Man Utd, May 2024
The heavy defeat to the Eagles saw the Dutchman edge ever closer to the sack.
1. Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd, March 2023
Man Utd were embarrassed at the hands of their bitter rivals as they crumbled at Anfield as it was the club’s worst defeat in 92 years.