Erik ten Hag has insisted Manchester United are moving ‘in the right direction’ despite being condemned to a 10th Premier League defeat of the season by Fulham.

United had won four successive Premier League matches going into Saturday’s clash at Old Trafford, but a goal from Alex Iwobi six minutes into added time at the end of the match secured a victory for the visitors.

“After one defeat you have to see the bigger picture and the bigger picture looks very good,” Ten Hag said after the game when asked if things were going in the right direction under his management.

“We have to get the injuries back then we will be more in balance and also strengthen the squad in the transfer windows. There are coming up many good players and high potential players so definitely we are going in the right direction. So when they are available we have a very good team.”

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The defeat left United sixth in the Premier League standings and eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth — potentially the final Champions League qualification spot.

Ten Hag’s side have lost 10 Premier League games already this season, but the manager insisted that he believes his side can still secure a top four finish.

“After these two months I cannot go with that approach (of losing hope for Champions League qualification,” Ten Hag said. “We have lately been really good, now we have some setbacks. Today we could win and should win. The team showed great character.

“We had slow starts in both halves, losing Casemiro was an important loss, we lose some stability and concede a goal that is very avoidable and then fought back by showing great character. Then we go for a win but it slips away.”

Iwobi scored the late winner at Old Trafford (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

United were without a host of players for Saturday’s match, with striker Rasmus Hojlund joining a lengthy absentee list including Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Mason Mount.

“It is the truth,” Ten Hag said when asked how destabilising injuries have been to his side this season. “They come, we don’t have a left full-back then the drop out of Casemiro, a big drop out. Martinez too.

“But still we have players in the squad and still today we could win this game, and the team showed great character. We had a run of wins, now we have to recover from the setback.”

United return to action on Wednesday night with a trip to Nottingham Forest in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

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(Michael Regan/Getty Images)