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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has stressed that he is "not Harry Potter" and insists that despite their heavy 3-0 defeat to Liverpool, his team still has a strong chance to win a trophy this season.
Liverpool's Luis Diaz scored twice in the first half at Old Trafford, with Mohamed Salah adding a third nine minutes after the break. United were fortunate to avoid a repeat of their 5-0 humiliation from 2021.
Ten Hag's starting lineup featured six new signings, including the recently registered £50.5m midfielder Manuel Ugarte, who was introduced to fans before the match but was not yet fit to play.
United now sit 14th in the Premier League with just three points from three games. Despite the loss, Ten Hag remains optimistic and downplayed any expectations of immediate success, stating, "It is not like I am Harry Potter. You have to acknowledge that."
He explained that three of his players were making their first starts of the season and that Ugarte needed time to build fitness and integrate into the team. Ten Hag also mentioned that it would take a few weeks or even a month for many players to fully adapt.
Striker Joshua Zirkzee had a mixed performance, missing key chances but also testing Liverpool's goalkeeper, Alisson Becker. Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez struggled defensively, while Kobbie Mainoo was frequently exposed by Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch.
Ten Hag had a tense exchange with a journalist, defending his approach and vision, and dismissed the notion of repeating past mistakes. He emphasized the need to build a new team and is confident that they will have a strong chance at the end of the season.
Casemiro, who was responsible for Liverpool's first two goals, was substituted at halftime for 20-year-old Toby Collyer. There was also speculation about Casemiro leaving early, which Ten Hag refuted. He clarified that Casemiro stayed in the stadium and stressed that the decision to substitute him was to address the immediate needs of the match.
