Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has insisted that his side have demonstrated their character on numerous occasions during a difficult season for the club.

The Red Devils have suffered 13 Premier League defeats during the 2023-24 campaign, and they are currently down in eighth position in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United.

The 20-time English champions were beaten 4-0 at Crystal Palace on Monday night, and the team will be bidding to bounce back when they welcome Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

Man United's character and desire has been criticised throughout the season, but Ten Hag has insisted that his side have continued to 'fight' amid their difficulties.

"If I see the problems we have faced, all the injuries in almost every game, they have fought," he told reporters ahead of the contest with title-challenging Arsenal on Sunday.

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Ten Hag hits back at Man United critics

"There was great team spirit. Not on Monday. That's why I was so disappointed. Monday I was really disappointed but also the players were disappointed with themselves. It was collectively a failure.

"But in all the other games we have fought with each other. A good team spirit, so I can't have any doubts about this. I have seen it lately so just to remember - Brentford, not played well but they fought and they stayed in the game. Chelsea was a great game.

"We played good and they fought. Then Liverpool, again we had to adapt the back line because Raphael [Varane] dropped out, Jonny [Evans] dropped out, and they fought.

"They got, against Liverpool, a very good result. Lately, they always fought. Coventry, until the 70 minutes, we have discussed this. Sheffield United, we were resilient and fought back after two times losing.

"Burnley, the third game in six days and if you see what they put out, it was a lot. How deep they went in their physical outputs was incredible. Always they fought."

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All eyes will be on how Man United finish the campaign

Man United are only three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle with a game in hand, and the two teams will lock horns at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

As a result, a win over Arsenal on Sunday would put them in a position to claim sixth, which would not be disastrous considering their struggles this season.

Man United can qualify for the 2024-25 Europa League by winning the FA Cup, meanwhile, and it will be fascinating to see if the Red Devils turn up against Manchester City in the final.

There simply has to be a response from the 20-time English champions from the defeat at Palace, and claiming sixth in the league and winning the FA Cup would be a positive end to a tough campaign.

Eighth and no FA Cup trophy, though, would leave Ten Hag in a tough spot when it comes to his future.