FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - April 4, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag celebrates after Alejandro Garnacho scores their first goal REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester United's last-gasp defeat at Chelsea on Thursday will motivate the team when they host Premier League leaders Liverpool this weekend, manager Erik ten Hag said.
He added that United would need to use the anger caused by Thursday's 4-3 loss as fuel as they look to erase a nine-point gap to the top five.
"We have to recover very quickly. We have to turn this around, so from tomorrow we will be in a positive mood," he told reporters. "We will be mad, angry and you can take a lot of energy from that."
United, sixth in the table with 48 points, have dropped five points this week due to conceding late goals after the loss at Chelsea and last Saturday's 1-1 draw away to Brentford.
"The points are getting very expensive because the games are running out," the Dutchman said. "We need to learn how to win games, how you bring big games over the line and get the three points."
Ten Hag said this United side, which beat Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals last month, had the character and resilience to put up a fight on Sunday.
"You have seen we have qualities. We have some great players. We can be in momentum and we can play at very high standards," he said.
"We can compete with the best and we can beat the best teams in the Premier League."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
