United had been unbeaten in 31 home games before Brighton & Hove Albion’s victory at Old Trafford two weeks ago.
However, the Red Devils were fortunate to escape with victory at home to Wolves and Nottingham Forest earlier in the season.
“We have to do better here,” added Ten Hag.
“We have to show it in our body language that Old Trafford is a fortress and you can’t get anything here.” REUTERS, AFP
MANCHESTER – Manager Pep Guardiola criticised Ruben Dias and Mateo Kovacic after Manchester City slipped to a shock first Premier League defeat of the season after they were beaten 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
City had been imperious this term and made the trip to Wolverhampton having won all six of their opening league games.
A Dias own goal put Wolves 1-0 up in the 13th minute, but Julian Alvarez levelled with a bending free kick past Jose Sa in the 58th.
Hwang Hee-chan restored the home side’s lead on the counter-attack in the 66th minute by firing into the net from close range, which proved to be the winner.
Having been beaten at Newcastle United in midweek in the League Cup, City have lost back-to-back games in all competitions for the first time since January last season.
“We didn’t do our process properly to attack with a little more fluidity and that’s why we struggled a little bit in the transitions,” said Guardiola.
“When the opposition defends that well, Kovacic or Ruben has to attack the central defenders of the opponents – and we didn’t do it. That’s why it was more difficult.
“But it was always going to be a difficult game and we knew it, and they defended really well in all situations.
“The players know exactly what they have to do — they have done it I don’t know how many times since I’ve been here. This always makes it more difficult.”
Explaining why he hauled off new signing Matheus Nunes for youngster Oscar Bobb at half-time, Guardiola added: “I needed more dynamic and I wanted more in the small spaces and Oscar is really good at finding those with the creativity he has.”
Across Manchester, Erik ten Hag said there can be no excuses for Manchester United’s worst-ever start to a Premier League season after a 1-0 defeat at home by Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Not since the 1989/90 season have United lost four of the first seven league games of the season.
Joachim Andersen’s first-half goal for Palace inflicted that fate on ten Hag’s men, who were booed off by the Old Trafford crowd at full-time.
“I can give you reasons but you will explain it as an excuse and there are no excuses, we have to win,” said ten Hag.
“We have to be more consistent, this is not the demand for Man United. The demand is we get a row of wins and get into a series. We have to do better than now.”