Speaking in a press conference ahead of Manchester United’s trip to face Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium, Erik ten Hag admitted that the Red Devils must up their game despite being in a period of transition.
The Dutchman reflected on his side’s quality and how he copes with external noise after a difficult start to the Premier League campaign has seen United pick up just three points from their first three games.
What did Erik ten Hag say?
“We have to win all the games and that will always be the approach,” insisted Erik ten Hag during his pre-Southampton press conference. It’s not been an easy start to 2024/25 for the Dutchman and his side, with their only points of the Premier League campaign so far coming in their opening day victory over Fulham.
United have since been left empty-handed on the South Coast following Danny Welbeck’s injury-time winner for Brighton, with an Old Trafford thrashing coming a week later as Arne Slot’s Liverpool ran riot to claim a three-goal victory over their long-standing rivals.
Returning to league action after the international break, ten Hag insisted that a lack of quality is not the problem – but that his team still need time to settle and bond as a unit. He told reporters that “we have good characters, you feel the team spirit and now it’s about getting the patterns and the routines in. Once we have that, everyone sees the quality we have on the training pitch.”
Embed from Getty Images“Of course, when you see the scores, no-one is happy. But also players have a very good sense of the process, of the quality of the process… also, when you analyse the games – all the games – so far, we are in a good direction. But also, as is normal in a transition period and in the period where you have to build a team, we have to improve. We have to step up.”
Understandably, United’s slow start has drawn criticism from fans and pundits alike. Their trip to Southampton is the first of five fixtures between now and the end of September, by which time the Red Devils will also be involved in UEFA Europa League action.
But the United boss insisted that outside criticism “doesn’t impact” him, instead commenting that the club “are still in a transition period.”
“We have to integrate a lot of young players also in the team. We are still dealing with injuries, we have to bring the injuries back in the team. Before anyone thinks about excuses, no: we have to win every game. I know that, the team knows this and it doesn’t matter who is available. We will focus on every game and, in every game, have the mindset we have to win,” he added.
“We will see where we are in May next year. It’s very early in the season and it’s about winning trophies, being as high as possible, of course, in the league. Do everything to win every game and then we will see in May where we are and then judge.”