Manchester United fans have hit out at their manager Erik ten Hag after he revealed his reason for starting Jonny Evans over Raphael Varane in Sunday’s desperately disappointing Manchester derby defeat.

The Red Devils were beaten with ease by their local rivals at Old Trafford, Erling Haaland scoring twice before Phil Foden made it 3-0.

The home side were booed off the pitch and attention quickly turned to Ten Hag’s team selection.

Asked about the decision, Ten Hag replied ‘tactics. I decided for Evans as starter and Varane benched for tactics, yes. Exactly’.

Manchester United fans have taken to social media to criticise manager Erik ten Hag

Ten Hag says his decision to start Jonny Evans (left) over Raphael Varane was a tactical one 

And this response did not sit well with a number of United fans, who took to social media to express their frustration.

‘How can you leave Varane on the bench and play Evans and call it tactics?’ wrote one as he went on to label the United boss ‘a joke’.

‘You don’t say things like this when you’ve been spanked 3-0,’ wrote another. ‘Ten Hag is on my fraud watch’.

The words ‘fraud’ and ‘joke’ were used by many while another joked that he wanted to know what Ten Hag was smoking.

United’s latest defeat leaves them eighth with five wins and five losses from their opening 10 Premier League games.