Manchester United's Erik ten Hag asks for 'trust in process' after Porto scare

Erik ten Hag urged Manchester United fans to trust his process despite a 3-3 Europa League draw against Porto. United blew a two-goal lead, continuing their winless streak across competitions.

In Short

• Ten Hag asked fans to reserve judgement until season’s end
• Maguire’s stoppage-time header salvaged a point for United
• United extended their winless streak to four matches after Porto

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag once again called for patience and trust from fans, despite the club's recent struggles, including a 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League on October 4. United squandered a two-goal lead, with early strikes from Rasmus H¸jlund in the 7th minute and Marcus Rashford in the 20th, but defensive lapses allowed Porto to equalize and eventually take the lead. A stoppage-time header from Harry Maguire salvaged a point for United.

After the match, Ten Hag urged fans not to judge the team based on their current difficulties but to evaluate their progress at the end of the season. He emphasized that his process is still ongoing, and it is crucial to give it time to show results. Despite a busy summer transfer window, United have managed just three wins from their nine matches across all competitions this season.

“We will get there. Don't judge us in this moment. Judge us at the end of the season. We are in the process and we will improve. We are now two seasons where we achieve finals. We have to develop and progress this team,” Ten Hag said.

"We started the game very good, we dominated, scored two good goals, but then we lost control. So the start was good, the middle part was not good, and then we finished very good," Ten Hag added.

United's draw against Porto marks a four-match winless streak, adding pressure on Ten Hag and the club. The Dutchman’s future at the club is becoming more uncertain as poor results continue to mount.

However, Ten Hag remains confident in the support of the board and is determined to turn things around. The manager insists that the team’s long-term progress is more important than their current setbacks. He believes that once the new signings and tactical changes fully settle in, United will find consistency.

United's next challenge comes against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in the Premier League on October 6, a must-win fixture as they look to break their current slump and restore faith in Ten Hag’s process. The match will be crucial in determining how much time the manager has to reverse United's fortunes.