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Erik ten Hag says Manchester United need to start making life easier for themselves after his under-fire side secured a much-needed victory against promoted Luton before the international break.<\/p>\n
This has been a chastening second season in the dugout for the Dutchman, with Wednesday\u2019s 4-3 Champions League collapse in Copenhagen making it nine defeats in just 17 matches.<\/p>\n
United could ill-afford another shock as Luton came to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon, when a mixture of poor finishing and fine goalkeeping by Thomas Kaminski frustrated the hosts.<\/p>\n
Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garncho and Marcus Rashford all had good chances, but in the end defender Victor Lindelof was the unlikely match winner in a 1-0 Premier League triumph.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could have made life more easy if you score goals, but we create many chances,\u201d boss Ten Hag said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst half, I observed four 100 per cent chances. If you get the first then you get the second, it becomes more easy. But if you don\u2019t score, then you know they can always drop a ball in the box and you are in trouble.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we had to fight to the end and it\u2019s maybe not the prettiest, but I am happy we created many chances.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if the lack of cutting edge is a confidence issue, Ten Hag said: \u201cI don\u2019t think it is particularly a confidence thing because Rasmus Hojlund scored five goals in the Champions League.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe came full of confidence into this game and it will come. Rashford scored 30 goals last season. Obviously he\u2019s now not scoring but there will come a day he starts scoring again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the other offensive players like Garnacho, they are capable of scoring goals, so it will come.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what is good, we already have 13 different goalscorers in our team, so it expresses the way we want to play football.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone is attacking, everyone is defending, and also defenders with us can score goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ten Hag will be hoping this victory did not come at too great a cost, with Hojlund and Christian Eriksen limping off and requiring further assessment once their respective issues have settled down.<\/p>\n
The United boss will be hoping the Danish duo are available in a fortnight\u2019s time when they return from the international break with a Premier League trip to Everton.<\/p>\n
It is a match Ten Hag will serve a touchline ban for after collecting his third booking of the season in stoppage time.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it was about a moment so clear, a throw-in, but it was the second time,\u201d the United manager said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was on top of it. It was so clear and obvious our ball. It was my remark, so therefore I got booked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a very competent coaching staff and they will take over of course (at Everton).<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil a certain point I can be involved but, as I say, my coaching staff is very competent.\u201d<\/p>\n
United head into November\u2019s break on 21 points from 12 matches \u2013 a perhaps surprising return given their poor performances to date.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag\u2019s side will be desperate to kick on after the internationals, as will Luton after winning just one match since promotion via the play-offs.<\/p>\n
Rob Edwards\u2019 side conceded late on in last weekend\u2019s 1-1 draw with Liverpool and produced another promising performance at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we\u2019re disappointed not to get anything from the game,\u201d the Town boss said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be on more points but in terms of where we are, we are in the fight that we thought we would be in \u2013 and everybody probably thought we were going to be in that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we are progressing and improving in the way I hoped.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we learned pretty quickly after the first two games and since then I think we\u2019ve been harder to beat.\u201d<\/p>\n