While Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future remains uncertain, it is fair to say that he took quite a bit of satisfaction from the club's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City over the weekend.
Very few commentators gave his side much chance of securing a positive result in the fixture, understandably so when you looked at the form this season of the respective teams. Of course, that previous form seemed to go out the window once the game got underway.
Manchester United were good value for their 2-0 victory at Wembley, with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo handing them a much deserved victory.
Erik ten Hag used his post-match media duties to address the criticism that has been directed at him and his team in recent months, including during an appearance on the BBC. On that occasion, he took umbrage to a line of questioning that suggested that his team had not been good enough this season.
Pure honesty 🔴
🗣️ Great interview from @alanshearer and @garylineker with Erik ten Hag.#BBCFACup #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/8WGxvTytNY— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) May 25, 2024
Both Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have come under some criticism from some quarters for their questioning of a manager that had just won the FA Cup, although they have now defended their comments.
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Lineker & Shearer defend questioning during testy Erik Ten Hag interview
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, both Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer defended their interview with Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final.
They would suggest that the Dutchman was on a confrontational mood before the interview even started, and said that while the manager was within his rights to respond in the way he did, they also had a right to ask those questions.
Lineker: People took a bit of umbrage to our questioning and your answer to Erik ten Hag. He came over and he didn't seem very happy right from the start. I think he also had a pop at Roy Keane, so he obviously had something in his mind when he came over.
I asked the question, 'Do you think you've been unfairly treated by pundits, and even us?' Obviously, it's our job to be critical on occasion, we have to say what we think. And then he replied saying 'definitely', and then you challenged him didn't you?
Shearer: Yeah. He's entitled to have a pop back because he's been criticised at times and I think rightly so, because his team have been miles off it. They've been poor.
They've had a disastrous season in terms of the league. I don't think any Man Utd fan would argue that. To finish eighth, to finish with the number of goals they've conceded, shots against, it's embarrassing.
So for all of those things we've had to criticise them this season. If we didn't we wouldn't be doing our job. But he's entitled to have the hump with people who he feels are being unfair, but I felt I was well within my rights [to say what I said].
Erik ten Hag was certainly in a defiant mood after the game, also having a cheeky dig at Roy Keane and his managerial record during an interview on ITV.
If this was to be his last game in match at Manchester United, he will take plenty of satisfaction from the way it played out.
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