Slowly but surely, it appears Erik ten Hag’s coaching principles appear to be translating to on-field performances.
Manchester United’s victory against EvertonAnother example of his message being effectively carried out was the one he gave us.
Everton aren’t, however. Manchester CityHowever, they were unbeaten in their six previous matches Premier League games before Sunday’s encounter against United. It was a successful evening, especially considering that they hadn’t won in front Goodison Park supporters since 2018.
While it is still early days for Ten Hag and there is further work to be done at Carrington, the underlying numbers behind United’s performance make for positive reading.
Opta reported that United had the highest number and most successful passes this season. In the final three quarters of the season, they also had the most possession turnovers. This was their second highest total turnovers.
Despite conceding more away goals (34) than any other Premier League club in 2022, United had their lowest xGA (expected goals against — 0.65) of the season against Everton, even if they did not manage to keep a clean sheet.
Manchester United’s xGA
Ten Hag seemed cautiously optimistic after the win, when you look at the numbers.
“In the first half we were pressing well,” he said. “Everton did not come out and it was difficult for them to get a lot of crosses in.
