Eriksen Says Man Utd Players Must Own Up To Selhurst Park Debacle

Manchester United's recent 4-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace has sparked a wave of introspection within the team, with midfielder Christian Eriksen pointing the finger at the players themselves for the club's dismal performance. This loss marks United's 13th in the Premier League this season, a figure that has not been this high since the 1989-90 campaign when they lost 16 times. Currently positioned eighth in the league table, United's aspirations for European qualification are looking increasingly bleak.

The defeat to Crystal Palace saw Michael Olise netting twice, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell also scoring, highlighting United's defensive vulnerabilities. This season, United have conceded 81 goals across all competitions, a number last seen in the 1976-77 season. Despite these challenges, Eriksen insists that the responsibility lies with the players rather than manager Erik ten Hag.

"It's a big disappointment. We just had an off-day, and we weren't in it," Eriksen told BBC Sport. The Danish international also acknowledged the team's injury woes but refused to use that as an excuse for their poor performance. "It is what it is. We can't really change the injury things. We have to do what we can on the pitch to change it," he added.

Manchester United's struggle is not limited to this match alone. Since the start of last season, only Nottingham Forest has lost more away Premier League games by a margin of four or more goals than United. With upcoming fixtures against Arsenal, Brighton and Hove Albion, and Newcastle, United faces a challenging path ahead in their quest for a spot in European competitions.

The team now finds itself two points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United and is tied with seventh-placed Chelsea on goal difference. As they navigate through these crucial matches, United's players and management will be under intense scrutiny to turn their fortunes around and salvage what remains of their season.