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Erik ten Hag has revealed Manchester United remain “eager to do business” this summer as he watched his side fall to a disappointing 3-0 loss to Liverpool last night.
The two bitter rivals faced off against each other last night at the Williams-Price Stadium in South Carolina in United’s final game of their US pre-season tour. It was a full house with over 77,000 fans in attendance.
Ten Hag was forced to field a mismatch side owing to a combination of injury and absence to first-team stars, triggering memories of last season’s struggles. And while the final result – a 3-0 defeat – will have raised eye-brows to those who did not watch, those who did would have seen a reasonable performance by United, marred by a lack of efficiency which Liverpool did not fall foul of.
United pressed well and created a host of opportunities which they failed to capitalise upon. Liverpool took half as many shots as their North West rivals, but scored three goals from five attempts on target – efficiency.
With Rasmus Hojlund set for an extended period on the side line with a hamstring injury, and Joshua Zirkzee yet to play a minute with his new side, United’s lack of clinical edge will pose a question for Ten Hag going into the new season.Jadon Sancho, starting up front as a false-nine, was positive but does not look the solution, while other options (Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes) are best deployed elsewhere.
It’s a similar case of uncertainty in the backline with United’s first-choice defenders all unavailable for a variety of different reasons.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka started at right-back, perhaps playing his last game for the club amid reports of an imminent move to West Ham, as Diogo Dalot was unable to join the tour owing to his EURO 2024 campaign earlier this summer.
Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez also remain in England after their international commitments, forcing Ten Hag to start Jonny Evans and Harry Amass at centre-back and left-back respectively, with more senior deputies (Harry Maguire and Tyrell Malacia) unavailable.
Leny Yoro remains on the club’s tour despite an unfortunate metatarsal injury ruling him out for the next three months. Victor Lindelof, also linked with a move away from Old Trafford, started in his place.
A disjointed defence defined last season in all the wrong ways and it felt like a timely reminder of this lack of depth with four weeks of the summer window left. It’s another question which needs an answer, or two, before September 1.
Ten Hag is evidently aware of these issues, reassuring fans in an interview after the match that the “new leadership team is really eager to do business” with strong links with moves for Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte continuing. “They are on it,” Ten Hag revealed.
“The new leadership team is really eager to do business” 👀
Erik ten Hag on the potential of new signings at Manchester United this summer 📝 pic.twitter.com/7H7lGDVms5
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 4, 2024
United’s new executive branch – comprising Omar Berrada (CEO), Dan Ashworth (Sporting Director) and Jason Wilcox (Technical Director) – have all begun work at Old Trafford this summer after being specifically head-hunted by INEOS.
Early deals for Zirzkee and Yoro were agreed but the club’s limited budget mean United must now sell before they can sanction any further deals for new players.
With the departures of Wan-Bissaka and Scott McTominay looking increasingly close, as well as the club’s desire to sell Lindelof, it likely will be a case of ‘one in, one out’ at Old Trafford this month. If deals can be agreed for all three to exit, Mazraoui (RB), De Ligt (CB) and Ugarte (CM) will constitute significant upgrades in their respective positions.
The fact United’s new leaders are communicating to their manager how “eager” they are to complete these much-needed deals offers optimism they will be completed this month.
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