Erik ten Hag has ‘underestimated’ Manchester United with his signings, claims Alan Pardew

Erik ten Hag’s side have lost four Premier League matches already (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Erik ten Hag’s new signings are ‘failing’ because he’s ‘underestimated’ what it takes to play for Manchester United.

That’s according to Alan Pardew, who says the Dutchman has ‘nowhere to hide’ now that he’s brought in his own players at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag oversaw a spending spree of around £170m last summer to bring in the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat.

But United have made a disastrous start to the campaign, losing four of their first seven matches in the Premier League.

Despite enjoying success during his debut campaign at the Theatre of Dreams, United’s poor form has piled the pressure on Ten Hag.

And Pardew says Ten Hag’s failure to bring in the right ‘characters’ at the club has cost him, with the Dutchman left with ‘no place to hide’.

Pardew hit out at Ten Hag (Picture: TalkSPORT)

‘He managed Ajax to great success and he’s comes through to Man United and he’s earned the right be at Man United,’ Pardew told talkSPORT.

‘At the moment the question marks have got to be around the signings of the players, the choice of signings and what that club is.

‘In my opinion, they’ve underestimated what a true Manchester United player should be. I’m not just talking about a great technical footballer, but the right character with that kind of hunger in them to drive the team on; Steve Bruce, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona – you could name so many different characters – Gary Neville.

‘I look at this team and Bruno Fernandes is the skipper but he doesn’t strike me as that type of characters. He’s a great footballer, but not that type of character and I look in that group and I’m wondering who that is.

‘Amrabat coming into the team and has only played a couple of games, maybe. Casemiro, I’d like to see a little bit more from him on that front.

‘For me, that’s what that team needs. Where’s the heartbeat? Where’s the ‘boom, boom, boom’ of that team?’

‘Style can be put to bed if you don’t have the right players and he’s been in charge of the players coming in – Antony, Mason Mount, Casemiro – all coming into the team.

‘They’re his players and there’s nowhere to hide when they’re his players. I’ve been there, I know that, so when one or two of those players are failing it’s a massive problem.’

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MORE : Zlatan Ibrahimovic questions Erik ten Hag and says Manchester United is different level to Ajax

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