Ten Hag Addresses Manchester United Crisis

Manchester United's manager, Erik ten Hag, fulfilled his media obligations on a Friday afternoon at Carrington, gearing up for the upcoming Premier League encounter against Burnley. The Red Devils aim to recover from recent setbacks, including defeats to Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Bayern Munich, with Burnley on their immediate horizon.

Erik Ten Hag provided insights into the status of returning players and emphasized the importance of unity during challenging times as a catalyst for the team's progress.

During his media session, Erik Ten Hag was asked about the significance of the Burnley match in altering the narrative and restoring confidence. He responded, "At United, you have to win every game, so that doesn't change anything."

Regarding concerns about information leaks from the dressing room and player dissatisfaction, particularly concerning David De Gea and coaching staff criticism, Ten Hag acknowledged, "I know my players. Everyone can make suggestions. We are okay with it."

When questioned about the magnitude of the challenges he faces at Manchester United, Ten Hag commented, "No, this is my second year, and I know it's not always going up. You will have your gaps, and you get stronger from it, as long as you stay together. That is what we are doing. I think the dressing room, staff, all the staff - so coaches, medical, bigger staff - everyone is United. At United, you fight."

Regarding concerns raised about the influence of his agent, Kees Vos, Ten Hag stated, "It can't be because we make very good agreements about it from the start, how we cooperate in the matter. So for player decisions, transfers, it is always 50/50 and both are involved. The club, by John Murtough, and me. So there never can be any distraction."

Ten Hag also addressed the situation of Jadon Sancho, stating, "It depends on him. For the rest, we are preparing for Burnley, and that has all our focus. He will not be in the squad."

Regarding player availability for the upcoming match, Ten Hag mentioned, "Yeah, maybe as you say Harry Maguire. We will see better after training. But Varane will train, we will see. Amrabat, he will train, we will see. Mount, as well, but they all didn't play for short or longer term. Varane, obviously, was the shortest [time] out."

On the performance of goalkeeper Andre Onana, Ten Hag expressed, "It's about the team, and as a team, we don't have the results at the moment. So then, also, the individuals don't bring the performance you expect, and not only one player but more and including the manager."

When asked about expectations for the match against Burnley, Ten Hag replied, "As always, it's about how we play against Burnley. There are never any easy games and definitely not against Burnley, we know how intense they play football, I know their approach. I must say, I like the approach from them, the adventure and the high intensity and also the dynamic in their game. So, yeah, we have to play our best."

Ten Hag concluded by emphasizing that defensive solidity relies on the collective effort of all 11 players, stating, "No, it's about 11 players who do their job. We attack with 11, we defend with 11. When one or two are not doing the job, it's like a pack of cards, and then it is not only one or two players."