A defiant Erik ten Hag has hit back at the media following the reaction to Manchester United's recent FA Cup semifinal showdown with Coventry City, a game that sparked pandemonium after the Red Devils came narrowly close to suffering a historic defeat.
The Premier League giants locked horns with the Championship side at Wembley and despite going 3-0 up before the hour mark, Rashford and Co. nearly suffered one of the most embarrassing eliminations in the competition's history.
Ten Hag's men threw away that 3-0 lead, conceding in the 71st minute, the 79th minute, and in stoppage time to go to extra time. Manchester United then conceded again in the final minutes of added time but were spared the embarrassment after VAR ruled out that Coventry goal for offside.
While Manchester United eventually progressed to the final after beating the Sky Blues on penalties, Ten Hag's side were ripped to shreds on social media and in the press in the wake of that capitulation.
Speaking ahead of his side's upcoming Premier League clash with Sheffield, Ten Hag admitted that his team were fortunate not to get knocked out but went to war with the media, slamming their reaction to that semifinal tie for being "embarrassing".
"No, I absolutely can't understand the reaction. Was it embarrassing? No, the reaction from you was embarrassing," the former Ajax boss said in reaction to the post-match fallout, as per the Sun.
"In top football, it's about results. We made it through to the final and we deserved it. Not just in this game, but also in the other games."
And the 54-year-old did not stop there. Ten Hag, whose future at Old Trafford is under tremendous doubt, also defended his credentials as a manager after leading his side to a third final in only two years.
"We were in control until the last 20 minutes and we also had bad luck," the Dutchman added. "We were very lucky in the end with the penalties.
"But we made it to the final and that is a huge achievement. Twice in two years is magnificent. For me as a manager, four cup finals in four years. So the comments are a disgrace."
Despite this defiant response, Ten Hag's days at the Theatre of Dreams appear numbered. A separate report from the Sun claims that the manager is set to be sacked this summer after the new minority stakeholders witnessed fans rushing out of the stadium at full-time despite winning the match.
Several names have been linked with the job, including England manager Gareth Southgate, Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi, and departing Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel. However, fans should wait until the summer until more credible updates regarding Ten Hag's future emerge.
