I knew Manchester United job would be difficult – Ralf Ragnick admits

Amid struggles and inconsistency on the pitch,  Manchester United interim manager, Ralf Rangnick has said he knew taking up the Red Devils’ coaching job would not be easy.

The German tactician suffered his first defeat after Wolves beat United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Monday night, January 3 and despite Rangnick’s appointment speaking excitement and reaction from the United players at the beginning of his reign, the team has struggled to convince in his last four games.

Despite a brief spell of dominance in the second half, Man United substitute Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar but Ragnick’s men failed to score and then Joao Moutinho of Wolves struck a deserved 82nd-minute winner.

“I knew it would be a difficult job,” Rangnick to reporters. 

“There was a reason why they contacted me and signed me, so I knew from the start it would not be an easy job to find the best possible balance with regards to the players we have offensively and defensively.

“It was important for me we don’t concede that many goals. But again today against a good team, one of the better teams in possession of the ball and not an easy team to create chances [against] ourselves, it still showed we are struggling and we have quite a few steps to take.

“As I said, it’s always a question of balance, how do you need to create chances offensively and how compact do you have to be to defend your own goal? And this is what it’s all about. Finding the best possible players for the formation and hoping every player plays in his best possible position.”

United are now four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and 22 points behind table leaders Manchester City.