Manchester United woes continued after a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday’s Premier League clash, to end 2023. The away loss leaves manager Erik ten Hag under increasing pressure, as his team continued a lackluster performance. United failed to capitalize on a chance to salvage a point after Marcus Rashford’s goal briefly raised hopes. However, Morgan Gibbs-White’s late winner dashed any hopes of a comeback, leaving United with a bitter defeat. 
Erik ten Hag face continued pressure as Manchester United woes persist – Getty image The defeat comes at a time when there are speculations about Ten Hag’s future at the club. Despite his earlier optimism about working with new investors INEOS, the manager’s position now appears worse as United’s struggles persist. The Dutch manager’s men showed no real attacking threat throughout the match, apart from Rashford’s goal.
Manchester United target, Declan Rice. Source: Getty “Ten Haga’s expenses are limited while the Glazers decide whether to sell or stay put, especially since United has not yet got rid of the expensive deadwood in their team.” United have several other targets in their mind and could also allegedly be looking for a new goalkeeper, with several reports suggesting that David De Gea will leave the club. Jordan Pickford is one name mentioned while Manchester United are also on the hunt for a striker. Rasmus Hojlund and Victor Osimhen are the names remaining on the club’s wish list for a striker as Harry Kane has been struck off. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have been the two prominent bidders to complete a takeover at Old Trafford. But despite reports suggesting Sheikh Jassim is edging closer to winning the battle, there’s been radio silence on the subject. The Times reported that it is unlikely that the takeover will be completed before the start of the new 2023-24 season. 
The quarter-final match ended 3-0 in favour of the Spanish side and Maguire was at fault for the first goal the team conceded in the eighth minute. His undefined pass at the edge of the box got intercepted by Youssef En-Nesyri, who netted the opening goal. However, Ten Hag has defended him, insisting that the England international is an example for the team. 
He said; “He has an important role, he is the captain, he leads and he communicates with the manager, motivates the team, he’s the example in the training space.” 
Despite Sevilla’s struggles in La Liga, sitting 13th and still not safe from the threat of relegation, the Andalusians outfought and outplayed Manchester United, third in the Premier League. With the tie level at 2-2 from the first leg, Harry Maguire failed to control a pass from David de Gea after just seven minutes, which allowed Erik Lamela to pick the ball off him and pass it to Youssef En-Nesyri for an easy finish. Loic Bade headed home early in the second half and En-Nesyri added another after a David de Gea mistake. 
Expressing his frustration after the match, Erik ten Hag aimed at the mistakes that had been committed by De Gea as he pinpointed the reason for his team’s defeat. He said; “It’s clear. When we make such mistakes, it’s difficult to win a football game. It’s a problem and we have to acknowledge it but against Brighton, we have an opportunity to work on that. You have seen what I have seen. We were not composed or calm. “It’s a problem, we can’t run away from it. On Sunday we have to step up and show more character and more personality.” 
Manchester United coach, Erik ten Hag has confirmed that on-loan striker Wout Weghorst could still be at Old Trafford next season. 
30-year-old Weghorst who has scored just two goals for the Red Devils since his arrival in January, still has more than two years left on the contract he signed when he arrived at Turf Moor in a £12 million deal from Wolfsburg. He caught the eye while playing for the Netherlands at the World Cup and has become a cult hero at Old Trafford thanks to the fiercely-competitive attitude that saw him clash with Lionel Messi in Qatar. When asked if the 6ft 6ins international could be part of his long-term plans, Erik ten Hag said; 
“Of course. I think he is doing a lot of elements of football really well. “Wout is doing a really good job for us. He is the leader of the process in pressing, he starts the press and is very good in backward pressing. He is also taking up (good) positions and in his link-up play he’s doing really well. “He is making good movements, making space for others, so he’s also good in set-plays. He is really contributing to this team. I think after Christmas we have played 25 games and we lost two – and Weghorst played almost all of the games so he is really part of the success.” 
Eriksen was seen leaving Old Trafford in crutches after being taken out by a dangerous tackle from Carroll during United’s 3-1 victory over the Royals in the FA Cup fourth-round tie days ago. Commenting on the ankle injury which would keep the Danish midfielder away from football till April or May, Erik Ten Hag called on football authorities to do more to protect players. He added that such tackles do not belong to football. The Manchester United coach said; 
“I’m disappointed about that. I think football has to set limits, restrictions, that protect the players. What football wants is the best players to be available on the pitch. This is a tackle – and the two tackles after it – that don’t belong on the football pitch, because there is a high risk of injuring your colleague. So it’s worse and I’m left wondering about that. “I’m also wondering more, when we were at Crystal Palace, when there was an elbow on Lisandro Martinez. I don’t believe there was even a whistle for a free-kick and I’m wondering about such things, because it’s a risk of injury for the player.”