Manchester United Updates: Premier League update: After Manchester United’s disappointing loss to Newcastle United, manager Erik Ten Hag admits he expects higher standards from his players, as they now prepare to face Brentford on Wednesday. The Dutchman has ordered his team to perform like ‘robots’ and demands relentless hunger to be in the team. Follow Premier League LIVE Updates on Insidesport.IN
After the 2-0 loss at Newcastle on Sunday, United boss Ten Hag told his squad that he was shocked to see his team led the Magpies to be angrier and admitted Eddie Howe’s team showed more determination to get the win. On Wednesday, United hosts Brentford at Old Trafford, who humiliated Ten Hag’s side at the last meeting in August, which led to the manager hauling his side run 14 kilometres the next day, the amount by which they had been outrun by their opponents.
Erik ten Hag wants his Manchester United players to “act as robots” as they bid to secure #UCL football next season 🤖#MUFC | #PL pic.twitter.com/jovSUWBI26
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) April 5, 2023
Ahead of the Brentford game on Wednesday, Ten Hag was asked how eight months later his team could still lack the desire and hunger to win, he replies, ‘I agree we return to old habits but I also know there are fluctuations –persons are not robots,’
He added, ‘But we have to act as robots, as machines. We have to expect and demand of our players that they match the standards so when we are not doing [that] we are disappointed because that is our job.’
The Dutchman believes his squad can be machine-like, ‘because we have shown in so many games that we did it. It was a tough, very strong belief, confidence and passion and togetherness we have and have shown it in many games and big games. We have shown we can win the games but you have to do it in every game because that is the demand of Manchester United.’
Moreover, he made clear the requisites to be in the part, and was clear what will happen if the standards are not met, ‘When they can’t get it, then they are in the wrong place.’
Lastly, when was asked about ruthless clear-outs of some players in the summer transfer window, to which he states, ‘Let’s be fair, so I know how football is. We’re talking in the emotion after one defeat but we are in the right position and this squad is doing that and you can talk about deficits but every squad has deficits.’
‘But I trust my players to give good performances and get the best results. They have shown it so many times: Arsenal home, Liverpool home, City home, but also Barcelona twice. So they can do it, so don’t talk about what is coming after, after strong and severe decisions. So I trust my players and they deserve it.’
‘We are in the right position. But now, at the start of the season, we had a really bad start. When you go to Newcastle and, as a team, you deliver this, it is far below the standards and far below the performance we can expect.’
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