Telling it straight: Ten Hag says 'it is obvious' why United signed a striker after Spurs loss

Erik ten Hag appeared visibly frustrated following Manchester United's 2-0 defeat against Tottenham, emphasizing that their wasteful performance highlighted the significance of signing Rasmus Hojlund.

The Red Devils suffered a defeat in the capital on Saturday night as Pape Sarr slotted home the opening goal in the 49th minute, followed by Lisandro Martinez accidentally deflecting the ball into his own net late in the game.

United could have easily taken the lead by this point, with Marcus Rashford denied by Guglielmo Vicario and Bruno Fernandes heading wide from six yards. Additionally, Antony's shot curled against the post moments after Sarr's goal.

Tottenham also created numerous opportunities in the first half, but their performance escalated after halftime, securing a maiden Premier League victory for their new head coach, Ange Postecoglou.

This outcome led United to ponder missed opportunities. Ten Hag, who witnessed their nerve-wracking 1-0 win over Wolves on Monday, pointed to the injured £64 million forward Hojlund as a reason for optimism.

"Today, you witnessed a strong first-half performance, but it's imperative to comprehend the need to score a goal," he insisted.

"Due to the significance of the opening goal, the players need to shoulder responsibility. They must maintain focus, passion, and desire in this critical moment to maintain a clear perspective and score the initial goal.

"It's a matter of belief, and we believe in these players based on last year's performance as well. They have the ability to score goals.

"However, the reason for signing a striker is evident. If all goes well, (Anthony) Martial is on his way back, and Hojlund is approaching. Consequently, we will have more players capable of scoring goals.