Man United lacked requirements of a prime group once I arrived

Erik ten Hag mentioned he has sought to deliver again Manchester United‘s “preventing spirit” after questioning the requirements on the membership earlier than his arrival as supervisor in the summertime.

Ten Hag inherited a group which had completed sixth within the Premier League, 35 factors behind champions Manchester City.

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Ten Hag mentioned the requirements throughout the squad had been “method off” when he took over from caretaker supervisor Ralf Rangnick and believes he is instilled some combat into the membership, significantly by means of new signings Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Antony.

“I knew from the beginning it is an thrilling course of but in addition a troublesome course of as a result of I believe Manchester United was distant from the requirements of what we have to be prime,” Ten Hag mentioned. “When you’re speaking concerning the spirit, there may be one factor that I discover right here, if you see the historical past of Manchester United, Manchester United gained within the historical past quite a lot of titles, quite a lot of trophies and it was all the time by group, group spirit and preventing spirit.

“It is the spirit, the group spirit, the group preventing, that was the bottom and that’s within the tradition of Manchester United. That is likely one of the issues I wished to deliver again and we’re in the correct path.”

Ten Hag has loved some optimistic leads to his first 5 months in cost, significantly victories over Liverpool and Arsenal. However there have additionally been set-backs in opposition to Metropolis and Aston Villa, and the 52-year-old mentioned he was particularly upset on the 3-1 defeat at Villa Park on Sunday as a result of the efficiency was “not Manchester United.”

“Typically you may have a setback like Sunday and we’re positively not pleased with the efficiency and I really feel accountable,” he added. “Once I see my group on Sunday, that’s not Manchester United. I do know they aren’t robots however we’ve to demand they bring about it each recreation on the pitch as usually as doable, it must be actually usually, it must be that method.”

United kick off their Carabao Cup marketing campaign in opposition to Aston Villa on Thursday seeking to finish a five-year trophy drought.

Ten Hag mentioned he’s at Outdated Trafford to ship silverware however the precedence in his first season is to complete within the prime 4 and qualify for the Champions League.

“We’re enjoying in quite a lot of cups, I wish to win trophies, in fact however we wish to qualify as one of many first 4, that must be the intention, to get there,” Ten Hag mentioned. “That’s going to be exhausting this season as a result of I believe additionally what I hear round me is that that is the strongest Premier League in years.

“On the prime, you may have seven or eight groups who all invested loads, it isn’t one or two golf equipment who invested loads, it is not solely us who invested loads but in addition golf equipment like Newcastle United, invested actually loads, West Ham United, additionally large investments, so there are various extra golf equipment that invested however we wish to be one of many first 4.”