A Dutch journalist claims Manchester United’s medical staff should lose their jobs after an incident during the Brentford game “almost cost” them.
The Red Devils headed into Saturday’s home game against Brentford needing a win as they made a terrible start to the 2024/25 season.
Man Utd only won two of their opening seven Premier League games, while they drew their opening two Europa League matches.
Head coach Erik ten Hag was under immense pressure during the international break, but the pressure on him has slightly eased after his side battled back from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag remains one of the favourites to be the next Premier League manager sacked and he’ll be under more scrutiny if his team struggle against Fenerbahce and West Ham this week.
Against Brentford, Ethan Pinnock headed Brentford in front but goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund turned the game around.
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Pinnock scored while Man Utd defender Matthijs de Ligt was sent off the pitch to have his bloodied head patched up and Ten Hag was booked after raging at the opening goal.
Speaking post-match, Ten Hag admitted they “felt some injustice” and this drove his side on in the second half.
“We felt some injustice and we use this as fuel for the second half, and we increased the tempo, and we scored two great goals,” Ten Hag said.
“I really enjoyed today the performance first half, but especially the second half.”
He added: “But it didn’t change anything. It was dry blood.
“So, he was already treated for that injury. Just dry blood, so no-one from us understood why he was sent off.
“I went over to Matthijs and asked ‘what’s wrong?’ He says ‘just dry blood and I have to come off, so I don’t know why’.
“Of course, there was a huge moment because Brentford is very good in corners, and when you then miss one of your best headers, and they take benefit from it then of course you are disappointed.”
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The De Ligt incident angered Dutch journalist Valentijn Driessen, who claims United’s medical staff deserve to be “fired” as they “almost cost them the match”.
“You always think why are you heading so low,” Driessen said.
“But ten minutes later (after his first treatment) it started bleeding again. Then you think: come on with that bandage, we’ll see what happens at half-time. The blood gushed out again a little later, just before half-time. Ten against eleven again. Then the Brentford player was completely free.
“You can almost fire that medical staff, it almost costs you the match. After that (after half-time) they (United) did a really great job. But it was so unnecessary to play with ten against eleven three times. Really.”
Fellow journalist Mike Verweij added: “His (Ten Hag’s) version was that it was dry blood.”
To which, Driessen responded: “What nonsense man.
“Blood was pouring down his ears and his head. It was in his shirt. It wasn’t clotted blood at all.”
