Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United reaction against Brighton

Erik ten Hag said his Manchester United side fell well short of his expectations in their limp Europa League exit to Sevilla.

United were humbled 3-0 in Andalusia to crash out of the competition despite having held a two-goal lead in the final stages of the first leg before capitulating.

Today's FA Cup semi-final against Brighton at Wembley offers a chance for immediate redemption for a team who have seen their hopes of landing a cup treble dashed following elimination in Europe.

The match against Roberto de Zerbi’s high-flying side comes off the back of inconsistent form as cracks have begun to show in the manager’s rebuilding job at the club, with defeat in Seville coming in the aftermath of a loss to fellow Champions League chasers Newcastle and a 7-0 thrashing at Liverpool.

Ten Hag was asked whether the famous hairdryer treatment meted out by his predecessor Alex Ferguson was the kind of response he subjected his players to in the immediate aftermath of Seville.

"Sometimes, yeah, I can go strong in certain situations," he said. "It’s about timing, when to use it. As a coach, the communication style…you can pick many styles and this is one of them.

"(On Thursday), I was really mad. For me it was so unacceptable. You can make a mistake, but you have to carry on.

"If you play a quarter-final of the Europa League, you give everything. And we didn’t. For any team that is unacceptable. As a manager I can’t accept that my team is not giving its best.

"Yes of course (the players were made aware). I made them aware of my analysis, my feelings about the game were, what my facts of the game were. They didn’t match the standards (to which) I manage a team in professional football."

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