United returned to training on Monday 27 June and flew to Thailand 12 days later where they beat Liverpool 4-0 in Bangkok. They then moved to Australia for the second leg of their tour, where they came from behind to beat Melbourne Victory 4-1, with friendlies against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa to follow later this week. Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy reported earlier on Monday that United’s players feel “physically fitter and mentally smarter” since Ten Haag took over at Old Trafford and, in an exclusive interview, the Dutchman admitted he was impressed – but he is not yet satisfied – with this. seen by the team. “I can see that they are responding well, and every session they give their maximum, and that carries over into the game,” he said. “I’m not satisfied, I think they should bring more, but it won’t come overnight, it takes time, it’s a process. “The point is for them to be in better shape than they are now. But we are building it, it is also the responsibility of the players themselves to be fit. “They have responded very well, but I know we are at the beginning of a process, and it takes time. We need full preparation, at least, but I also know that at the beginning of the season we will not be ready. but I also know that in the beginning we will need results.” Image: Ten Haag signed a three-year contract at Old Trafford in April As the Ten Hag have set about reshaping the squad after predecessor Ralf Rangnick oversaw a third-sixth finish in six seasons last term, Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez have joined the club so far this summer, representing an outlay around £72 million. . The latter pair joined in the last week and the United boss – keen to bring in reinforcements in defense and midfield this summer following the departures of Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Andreas Pereira – has outlined what recruits can bring. He continued: “Eriksen is an experienced player, he has played in Holland, Italy and especially England with Spurs, so a long career and also many appearances for the Danish national team. I think the whole Premier League knows what he can do to do. what he can contribute to the team, and I would call that creativity. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Ten Hag compares two of his summer signings describing Lisandro Martinez as a warrior and hailing the creativity of Christian Eriksen “Martinez is a different guy. He is a warrior, he brings aggression, but he can also play football and has a good left foot. That is also what you need in the balance of the team, players who can create and also players who can defend. “Defensively, we want to be proactive and be at the highest intensity defensively. We’re now three weeks into our road, and we’re also working on the defensive end to be proactive.” It is, however, long-term pursuit of Frenkie de Jong that remains front and center in the club’s summer plans. United and Barcelona have widely agreed a £72million deal to bring the 25-year-old to Manchester, but with no conclusion in sight, Ten Haag admitted he wishes the club’s job was already done. . Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Watch highlights as Erik ten Hag gets life as Manchester United manager off to a winning start with a 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool in Bangkok. All Man Utd tour games are available to watch on MUTV, Sky Channel 418. “That’s for sure,” he said. “The best and most perfect situation is when you start pre-season with the team fully equipped, but most of the time that’s not the fact of football, so I’m realistic and I have to deal with it.” Meanwhile, existing members of the squad, including Fred, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, have all impressed in the two friendly outings so far. Young prospects such as Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage appear to have taken first-team duties in their stride, too, and ten Haag’s words suggest this season will offer a chance to wipe the slate clean. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Scott McTominay says new manager Erik ten Hag has plenty of new ideas after playing the first two pre-season games. “Every new season is a new beginning,” he added. “Of course there is a past, but we don’t need to look back to the past, we need to look to the future. “These players have high potential and when we build a squad and they take responsibility for their fitness, I’m sure they will perform and we will get the right results. “I think it’s always a matter of development. That happens with experienced players and with younger players. I’m a coach, I’m not afraid, if the players are good enough and they’re old enough, I’ll play them. “We set high standards and values, and the team lives up to that. We’re happy with that.”
