Erik ten Hag’s first aggressive sport as supervisor on Sunday ought to herald a contemporary begin for Manchester Untied, however acquainted failings behind the scenes have made the Dutchman’s tough job an nearly not possible one.
Manchester United’s Dutch head coach Erik ten Hag reacts throughout the soccer pleasant match between Atletico Madrid and Manchester United on the Ullevaal stadium in Olso, Norway, on 30 July 2022. Picture: Stian Lysberg Solum/NTB/AFP
MANCHESTER – Erik ten Hag’s first aggressive sport as supervisor on Sunday ought to herald a contemporary begin for Manchester Untied, however acquainted failings behind the scenes have made the Dutchman’s tough job an nearly not possible one.
Ten Hag’s predecessor Ralf Rangnick signed off from his depressing caretaker spell final season by stating the United squad wanted “open heart surgery” and as much as 10 new gamers after labouring to a sixth-placed end within the Premier League.
So far, solely three new faces have arrived at Old Trafford – Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen.
The United squad is arguably weaker than final season with Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata having left free of charge, whereas goalkeeper Dean Henderson has joined Nottingham Forest on mortgage.
The prospect of a way more important departure is ready to hold over the primary few weeks of the season with Cristiano Ronaldo making an attempt to pressure his method out to play Champions League soccer this season.
Ronaldo made his first look of pre-season on Sunday, taking part in within the first half of a 1-1 draw in opposition to Rayo Vallecano.
But his determination to then go away the stadium earlier than full-time was branded “unacceptable” by Ten Hag.
The former Ajax boss has proven a disciplinarian streak throughout his early weeks in cost, reportedly reintroducing fines for dangerous time-keeping and banning the gamers having their very own private cooks.
Ten Hag has proven no indicators of appeasing Ronaldo’s ego, ordering the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to get match after lacking most of United’s preparations for the brand new marketing campaign.
“It starts with him getting fit because he’s only just started,” Ten Hag instructed Sky Sports.
“He is a fantastic football player, and he has proved it so many times, but you are always judged on what you are presenting now and how you are performing now.
“So, the group and Cristiano himself has to show it.”
MARTIAL, RASHFORD & SANCHO’S SECOND CHANCE
Ronaldo’s likely absence from the starting line-up for Sunday’s visit of Brighton offers the chance for a front three of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho to get their United careers back on track.
Rashford and Martial were the attacking fulcrum of the side that finished second in the Premier League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the 2020/21 season, only to be squeezed out by the arrivals of Ronaldo, Cavani and Sancho.
Martial even spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla, but the Frenchman has been given a lifeline by Ronaldo’s desire to leave.
Rashford’s slump in form led to him being dropped from the England squad. But he is feeling the benefits of a summer without international commitments.
“This is my first 12 months I’ve been with the group because the starting (of pre-season),” said Rashford. “I really feel loads higher than normal, after I go away with the nationals and are available again partway by pre-season. It is vital to get a contemporary begin. I really feel contemporary and prepared.”
Sancho additionally struggled to dwell as much as his £73 million price ticket in his first season at United, however he has teamed up properly with Rashford and Martial in a pre-season, that included a 4-0 victory over Liverpool.
Ronaldo just isn’t the one transfer saga of United’s summer time as a protracted and, to this point fruitless, chase of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong has left Ten Hag gentle in midfield.
That might imply a job in the course of the park of the versatile Martinez, who has reunited together with his outdated boss at Ajax.
The Argentine primarily performed at centre-back for the Dutch champions, however his diminutive 5ft 9in (1.8m) stature has raised doubts over his skill to play that function within the Premier League.
At his unveiling, Ten Hag set his sights on chasing down Manchester City and Liverpool on the high of the Premier League.
Given the playing cards he has been dealt, simply ending within the high 4 will probably be a monumental achievement.