Manchester United’s young players need time to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League, manager Erik ten Hag said after his decision to substitute Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund during a 1-1 home draw with Burnley was met with jeers from fans.
Mainoo and Hojlund were taken off in the 65th minute with the score at 0-0, with Ten Hag saying he substituted the pair to avoid risking an injury. “We have some very young players and that’s why we built this club back. That takes time, and we build this by bringing in young players. Hojlund, Garnacho, Mainoo – they are all in the first season of the Premier League and the league gets more intense year by year.
Ten Hag said United’s current struggles mirrored those of the team in the mid 2000s, when they finished third in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons before winning the Premier League three straight times between 2006-09.