Erik ten Hag is urging his gamers to be nastier as a part of a three-pronged plan to enhance Manchester United’s performances this season.
United have gotten off to a troublesome begin, struggling back-to-back defeats towards Brighton and Liverpool after opening the marketing campaign by beating Fulham at Outdated Trafford.
It follows a summer time wherein Ten Hag saved his job regardless of sweeping adjustments of the soccer operation at United, and recognized three areas the place he desires his staff to step up this season.
The United supervisor has referred to as on the squad to be extra aggressive from entrance to again to keep away from conceding any extra delicate targets. There was a sense that United weren’t laborious sufficient final season and wanted to develop a meaner streak.
They’ve dedicated 32 fouls within the opening three Premier League video games towards Fulham, Brighton and Liverpool in comparison with 24 within the corresponding three fixtures final season – and that’s earlier than Manuel Ugarte has made his debut.
Erik ten Hag is urging his gamers to be nastier as a part of a three-pronged plan to enhance Manchester United’s performances following a disappointing begin to the brand new marketing campaign
The Crimson Devils, who sit in 14th within the desk, suffered a dismal 3-0 loss by the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool earlier than the worldwide break, following a last-gasp defeat towards Brighton
Ten Hag urged that new signing Manuel Ugarte (above) will ‘deliver struggle’ to his Crimson Devils squad
‘This man brings the struggle,’ Ten Hag declared as he confirmed Ugarte round Carrington final week they usually posed in entrance of a brand new signal put up on the coaching floor underlining the supervisor’s message to ‘Unite & Battle’.
Secondly, Ten Hag desires United to have extra possession, telling his gamers they should shield the ball higher to manage video games.
Outcomes haven’t gone United’s method over the past couple of weeks, but it surely’s notable that they’d 52.8 per cent possession towards Liverpool in comparison with 38 per cent in the identical fixture final season, and 51.8 per cent towards Brighton in comparison with 45.2 per cent when the groups met on the Amex three months earlier.
United’s share of possession within the win over Fulham was 55.5 per cent, roughly the identical because the 56.8 per cent when the Cottagers received at Outdated Trafford in February.
Thirdly, Ten Hag has been drumming it into his gamers to be extra positionally conscious – an issue that resurfaced at Brighton when Joao Pedro was left unmarked on the far submit to move a Ninety fifth-minute winner.
The United supervisor has been displaying the squad movies to focus on the significance of excellent positioning in chopping out foolish errors and pointless targets.
United’s early type suggests it stays a piece in progress, however it will likely be fascinating to see if the development continues at Southampton on Saturday.
Ten Hag additionally desires United to have extra possession and management the ball higher throughout video games
Thirdly, Ten Hag has been drumming it into his gamers to be extra positionally conscious – an issue that resurfaced at Brighton when Joao Pedro was left unmarked to attain the winner
Tennis stars head for OT
Tennis is taking up Manchester this week with the beginning of the Davis Cup on the AO Area – however soccer just isn’t removed from the gamers’ pondering.
Argentina’s staff are being hosted by United for a tour of Outdated Trafford on Wednesday, whereas there’s hope that they’ll welcome the Nice Britain staff, not least as a result of British No 1 Jack Draper is a giant Manchester United fan.
Draper has simply loved a career-best run at a Grand Slam by reaching the semi-finals of the US Open in New York. Now United are eager to host him, both at Carrington or Outdated Trafford, earlier than the Davis Cup leaves city on Monday.
Nice Britain play on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and have apply commitments too, however United are hopeful they’ll toast the success of the 22-year-old earlier than they journey to Southampton on Friday.
Sadly for Workforce Argentina, each Alejandro Garnacho and Lisandro Martinez aren’t again on the town in time to indicate them round Outdated Trafford, with the busy worldwide break proving a irritating hurdle for participant crossovers.
British No 1 Jack Draper, who made the US Open semi-finals final week, is a large United fan
Antony’s staying put
The Premier League switch window could have been closed for 11 days, however hypothesis over two Manchester United stars has continued due to the deadline in Turkey being prolonged till Friday.
No sooner had Casemiro dominated out a transfer to Galatasaray and vowed to struggle for his place at Outdated Trafford than Antony was being linked with Fenerbahce, United’s opponents within the Europa League.
The Brazil winger has made just one look this season as an 89th-minute substitute at Brighton, with Erik ten Hag preferring Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho on the suitable wing.
However Confidential understands there’s little likelihood of Antony shifting to Turkey after various broad gamers left United this summer time together with Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood, Facundo Pellistri and Omari Forson.
Antony will keep to compete for a first-team spot with Amad, Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, however nonetheless has a lot to show at United after struggling since a £86million transfer from Ajax two years in the past.
Confidential understands there’s little likelihood of winger Antony (above) shifting to Turkey
Jadon Sancho, pictured signing for Chelsea, is likely one of the wingers let go by United this summer time
Anthony Martial left Outdated Trafford this summer time, calling an finish to his nine-year spell on the membership
No relaxation for Rashy
As soon as once more neglected by England, and after discovering himself jeered when Ten Hag selected to substitute Alejandro Garnacho as a substitute of him towards Liverpool, Marcus Rashford has been grinding away from the house comforts of Carrington and Outdated Trafford.
Working with one-to-one coach Ryan Hopper, of RH Elite Teaching, Rashford was placing in additional work at Ashton United’s Hurst Cross stadium in a bid to search out type heading into this weekend’s go to to Southampton.
Hopper is a well-liked determine amongst various United’s first-team stars and kids, working with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.
Rashford has discovered it robust to rediscover type wherever near the 30-goal season he had in Ten Hag’s first season in cost at Outdated Trafford, failing to attain in any of his final 9 Premier League video games.
However away from prying eyes and dealing with a specialist coach, the hope is he’ll see an uptick like fellow shoppers Dalot and Fernandes.
Marcus Rashford is placing in additional work in a bid to reclaim his first-team spot at Man United
Alejandro Garnacho (left) was most well-liked over Rashford in United’s defeat towards Liverpool
Reds face Fenerbahce sprint
United have been dealt one other poor hand by the authorities as they face a good turnaround between their Europa League conflict at Fenerbahce and the Premier League journey to West Ham subsequent month.
Ten Hag’s facet journey to Turkey for a 10pm native time kick-off on Thursday, October 24 earlier than taking part in the Hammers away at 2pm three days later. United sometimes journey straight again to Manchester after European matches, however they aren’t anticipated to land within the UK till the early hours of Friday morning as England is a four-hour flight from Turkey.
The quick time between video games will certainly be of concern to Ten Hag, who could also be left questioning why there’s not the same rule in place for the Europa League as there’s for Champions League golf equipment.
Premier League groups within the Champions League can’t be scheduled within the Saturday lunchtime kick-off after taking part in away in Europe three days’ earlier on the Wednesday.
Tremendous Scanlon able to make subsequent step
Final month, Confidential make clear rising star James Scanlon after he was topped striker of the event having impressed on the Otten Innovation Cup within the Netherlands.
Nicely, Scanlon just isn’t displaying any indicators of slowing down after the 17-year-old scored his first senior worldwide aim for Gibraltar towards Lichtenstein.
Scanlon was utilized in an entirely completely different position by Erik ten Hag than in assault on this summer time’s pre-season tour of the US however it’s plain that, like a lot of his friends, he has benefitted massively from being routinely promoted to coach with the boys’s first staff.
Manchester United starlet James Scanlon (proper) just isn’t displaying any indicators of slowing down
The 17-year-old scored his first senior worldwide aim for Gibraltar towards Lichtenstein
Scanlon performed a key position for United’s U18s final season en path to successful three trophies. However with an absence of full-back choices in the course of the summer time, he needed to fill in at right-back, additional enhancing his studying of the sport.
Final season Scanlon scored eight targets and added three assists in 12 league video games and he will likely be trying to higher that this season as he goals to change into extra concerned in first-team coaching after which squads.
Having made the step ahead along with his worldwide staff, the onus is now to offer Ten Hag a headache, maybe within the Europa League, as he seeks a senior United debut.
Utd search first-team physio
United are persevering with the overhaul of their medical division as a part of the revamp of Carrington by recruiting for a brand new first-team physio, simply two months after the membership parted firm with the long-serving Richard Merron and John Davin.
Among the many duties required of the brand new physio will likely be to ‘work day by day with the first-team gamers to restrict time loss via damage’ and to ‘develop, ship, monitor and observe methods and interventions that mitigate the chance of damage’. Merron had been with the membership for 23 years, whereas Davin joined in 1997.
Theatre of Goals finds its voice
Followers of The Voice could have seen that the ITV present kicked off its new sequence with a judges’ music carried out on the pitch at Outdated Trafford.
Former Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am poses along with his No 1 Manchester United jersey
Stars will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones, LeAnn Rimes and McFly duo Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones sang a model of the Miley Cyrus hit music Fringe of Midnight towards a backdrop of flashing lights and fireworks.
Producers wished to movie the phase in the course of winter however have been ready to attend till Might 16 – the day after the ultimate house recreation of the season – to stage it at Outdated Trafford with will.i.am mentioned to be significantly eager on utilizing the Theatre of Goals regardless of ITV holding talks with different Premier League golf equipment.
The previous Black Eyed Peas singer, who was offered with a United shirt when he attended the Manchester derby in October, started the music within the tunnel earlier than handing on to Sir Tom and the opposite judges in flip.
In addition to the fireworks, lights present and dancers, ITV additionally introduced a crowd of 1,000 followers to Outdated Trafford to make it really feel as if the celebrities and their assist band have been taking part in to a full stadium due to some intelligent digicam work.
Males united for psychological well being
To mark Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday, United and Andy’s Man Membership are elevating consciousness of the free weekly psychological well being assist periods being held at Outdated Trafford and across the nation.
The membership was arrange by the household of Andy Roberts in reminiscence of the passionate United fan who sadly died by suicide in 2016. The charity, which goals to finish the stigma surrounding males’s psychological well being, now has over 200 teams supporting greater than 4,800 males nationwide who attend weekly periods to open up about their experiences.
Since July, Outdated Trafford has hosted weekly periods for males over the age of 18, that are free to attend and require no pre-registration. They happen on Monday evenings at 7pm within the Salford Bar & Kitchen on the stadium.
All attendees ought to enter through the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand entrance the place they are going to be directed to the totally accessible suite.
Joanna Madyarchyk, head of safeguarding and wellbeing at United, mentioned: ‘As a number one reason behind loss of life for males within the UK, it’s necessary to supply alternatives for males to open up and speak in regards to the challenges they face of their lives to deal with the difficulty at hand.’
Legend Valencia goes inexperienced
Antonio Valencia was again at Outdated Trafford on the weekend to play for United Legends towards Celtic in a match that raised almost £1m for the Manchester United Basis. Nevertheless, the Ecuador winger has risked getting a frosty reception from co-owners Ineos in future after placing his identify to an open letter from Greenpeace calling on world leaders to assist the International Plastics Treaty.
Antonio Valencia (above) was again at Outdated Trafford on the weekend to play for United Legends
He risked getting a frosty reception from co-owners Ineos in future after placing his identify to an open letter from Greenpeace calling on world leaders to assist the International Plastics Treaty
Greenpeace have criticised Ineos, led by United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe (proper), previously
Valencia has joined stars of display screen and sport comparable to Bette Middler, William Shatner, Sharon van Rouwendaal, Carly Telford and Carlo Cudicini in backing the plan to drastically cut back plastic manufacturing and finish single-use plastic.
The ultimate UN negotiations for a International Plastics Treaty will happen in Busan, South Korea from November 25 to December 1, and are anticipated to provide a legally binding settlement that may curb the worldwide plastics disaster.
Greenpeace have criticised Ineos previously, accusing the petrochemical large of plastic air pollution, and fiercely opposed the six-year sponsorship deal signed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s firm and the All Blacks rugby staff in 2021.