Marcus Rashford's equaliser raised hopes of a positive result to end the calendar year but the game hinged on a pivotal moment as Matt Turner saved from Christian Eriksen at one end, before a breakaway raid was finished off by Morgan Gibbs-White to hand the points to the home side, to move them away from the relegation zone.
Ten Hag admitted his side were undone going for the win but bemoaned the loss of Rasmus Hojlund beforehand, scorer of the winning goal against Aston Villa in midweek, adding to the long list of absentees due to injury and illness.