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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is concerned after his side suffered their worst start to a Premier League season with the 1-0 home loss to Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n
Not since the 1989\/90 campaign, when Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly one game away from the sack, have United lost four of their first seven league games.<\/p>\n
But Joachim Andersen\u2019s first-half goal for Palace inflicted the same fate on the current crop, which left the Old Trafford faithful booing at the end.<\/p>\n
It had looked like United were turning their season around after a Carabao Cup win over the same opponents on Tuesday followed victory at Burnley last weekend, but the pressure is beginning to mount on Ten Hag.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he understood the crowd\u2019s frustration, he said: \u201cI understand, when we play home or away and we play Crystal Palace we have to win \u2013 with all respect.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI know every game in the Premier League is difficult and you have to play your best, but I understand fans are expecting a win and we didn\u2019t win and we lost.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course it is a concern, we have to be more consistent, this is not the demand for Man Utd. The demand is we get a row of wins and get into a series. We have to do better than now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can give you reasons but you will explain it as an excuse and there are no excuses, we have to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
United are having problems on home soil this season, having been fortunate to beat Wolves and Nottingham Forest, where they had to come from 2-0 down, but were soundly beaten by Brighton and have now lost to Andersen\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman insists his side are not a soft touch.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe lost two games in a row in the Premier League but I wouldn\u2019t set that conclusion, but we have to do better, and that is definitely the case,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to show it in our body language that Old Trafford is a fortress and you can\u2019t get anything here and the only way you can go away is with a loss. We have to do better here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Palace boss Roy Hodgson could not find playing at Old Trafford any more enjoyable as he became the first Premier League manager to go five successive games unbeaten at the home of United.<\/p>\n
It was the perfect tonic for the veteran after his side were beaten 3-0 here in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am happy about the record, I suppose. I am most happy with how the team played today and I\u2019m so pleased for the players,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not easy coming up here for the second time in a few days and to give that performance and to work that hard and defend as well as we did, that is what gives me the most satisfaction.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not even certain I could tell you about the other games gone before but I am pretty certain I would be delighted after those as well, no doubt I would have been saying the same things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked whether this was his favourite result as Palace manager, he said: \u201cI am hoping the favourite ones are to come, I have to be careful looking back.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt is my favourite one for the moment that\u2019s for certain, there may be others. At the moment I am just happy for the day and the performance and for the players.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll credit to the players and an extra mention because Tuesday night was such a disappointment. We didn\u2019t come here to lose 3-0, we came hoping we could progress but we were dumped out of that, so even more credit to the players to do what they did.\u201d<\/p>\n