Erik ten Hag blames referee & VAR for Man Utd defeat to Arsenal

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said his team “played a very good game” in Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal but was less than impressed with refereeing decisions he claimed were responsible for the result.

United took time to warm into the game at the Emirates Stadium but took the lead through Marcus Rashford midway through the first half with their first attempt.

Arsenal hit back immediately through Martin Odegaard, while Alejandro Garnacho thought he had won it late on for the visitors only to be deemed offside by VAR. United had earlier thanked VAR for overturning what would have been a soft penalty when Kai Havertz took a tumble in the box, but Declan Rice put Arsenal ahead in the 96th minute and Gabriel Jesus then compounded the misery.

“I think the performance is right for us. We played a very good game but everything went against us. Then you don’t win the game. You need a little bit more luck to win the game,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports.

“[Garnacho] is not offside,” he insisted. “That is the wrong angle. We have to accept it but I see the angle. I don’t see it as offside. But it doesn’t change the result. It is what it is, you have to accept it.

“The penalty on [Rasmus] Hojlund and when we concede the goal it’s a clear foul on [Jonny] Evans. You can say finish your chances and don’t concede after going 1-0 up, but I am happy with the performance and it was a step forward.”

With two defeats and two wins from their opening four games of the season, the result leaves United 11th in the Premier League table – albeit still above Chelsea – at the September international break. The next game is at home to Brighton on 16 September when deadline day signing Sofyan Amrabat could be in line to make his debut and reinforce the midfield.

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