"He's not a miracle worker..." - Former Man Utd star plays down Ten Hag's achievements at Old Trafford

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke played down Erik ten Hag’s achievements at Old Trafford.

On Sunday United were given the most humbling of reality checks by being demolished 7-0 by bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield. It was the Old Trafford club’s heaviest defeat since Boxing Day 1931, when they lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers by the same scoreline.

The result stunned the football world. Indeed, while Liverpool had shown signs of resurgence in recent weeks, they have endured a tumultuous campaign plagued by poor form and injury.

Meanwhile, United have looked rejuvenated during Ten Hag’s short reign. The club went into the Liverpool encounter on an 11-game unbeaten run, having claimed the Carabao Cup only a week earlier, their first silverware of any kind in six years.

Before Sunday fans, pundits and players had heaped praise on Ten Hag, with his United side in the latter stages of the Europa League and FA Cup, and in with an outside shot of winning the Premier League. The letter ambition now appears completely out of reach.

However, former United striker Yorke, claimed the Dutchman’s impact at United has been overplayed.

Ten Hag “no miracle worker”

Yorke played down Ten Hag’s achievements at Old Trafford, claiming that the Dutchman had not worked “miracles”.

Speaking to Premier League Odds the Trinidadian explained: “Erik ten Hag is not a 'miracle worker' when he's spent that amount of money and brought that many players into the club since he's been there.

“A miracle would be if he hasn't strengthened his team, hasn't brought in any players and turned the same players at the club already into winners.

“Ten Hag has brought in players like Antony, Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Wout Weghorst, Marcel Sabitzer and Christian Eriksen into the team.

“What Ten Hag has done is made us a lot more competitive and we now look like a team that's brought dignity back into the dressing room which has made Manchester United fans a lot happier.

“It's a big difference from the suffering Manchester United have been through over the last few years. But I would not use the word 'miracle' for what Ten Hag has done.”

Topics: Football, Transfers, Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.