Manchester United’s away performances under Ten Hag have improved significantly under his watch. They may not be dominating possession against teams like Brighton or Brentford, but their deeper build-ups are far more effective and they are far better at managing close games than before.

Dethroning City will be no small task, but Ten Hag remains confident about his team’s chances. He expects an outstanding performance and character from his players and hopes Harry Maguire can step up and deliver it all.

Goalkeeper

Ten Hag made clear his intention during his inaugural season at Manchester United to strengthen their goalkeeping department, though an immediate move wasn’t considered due to De Gea’s contract extension and restricted summer spending due to Financial Fair Play regulations.

But he has not stood idly by and allowed De Gea to commit errors. While De Gea arguably boasts one of the finest feet in goal in England, his poor distribution has become an issue during this campaign.

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Ten Hag has identified two possible goalkeepers he believes can assist build-up play: Brentford’s David Raya and Porto’s Diogo Costa as possibilities, although Dean Henderson must make his case to remain the No 1 jersey at Wolves.

Midfield

Ten Hag inherited an unruly midfield at United, which he was determined to rectify as soon as he took charge. With pre-season underway and player acquisition top of mind for him and staff alike, a priority for Ten Hag was recruiting technically skilled players that could make an immediate impact upon arrival.

Sofyan Amrabat would make an ideal addition, providing intelligent passing that keeps play going during team build-up and allows others to shine. Lyon’s Maxence Caqueret comes highly recommended based on statistical searches; however, due to being linked with Chelsea he may need to be sold.

Ten Hag is keen for changes in the dressing room to take effect, insisting on increased discipline and attitude from his players. To prove his point, he dropped Jadon Sancho before placing Marcus Rashford on the bench for Wolves game after oversleeping training session – an action which should send out a strong signal that players cannot shirk their duties at Old Trafford any longer.

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Attack

Ten Hag has made it clear he wants United to win now and the recruitment department are well aware that his instructions following defeats to Brighton and Brentford was to find targets who could immediately improve United. That explains the swift signings of Casemiro and Antony while United have also tracked Chelsea’s Mason Mount as well as engaging West Ham regarding Declan Rice as they prepare for their summer transfer window opening.

Even without following their tactical instructions for pressing in their two losses early in this season, the team still managed to win more possession in their attacking third and press passing sequences more often than any other team in the league.

Ten Hag will not rest until his team has developed an identity of their own, with players following his tactics with precision – something which requires greater commitment and workrate from all members of his squad. Following their loss at Tottenham, Ten Hag cancelled their day off for punishment runs of eight miles each to help cement this belief in them.

Defence

United’s transformation under Ten Hag is evident in its defensive transformation. Recognizing the defensive nightmare of 2022-23 and losing in the FA Cup final to City served as an eye opener to their club hierarchy.

Ten Hag is known for making bold decisions and producing results from his backline. This year he resolved the Cristiano Ronaldo debate by opting to play Lisandro Martinez ahead of Harry Maguire, and has given Scott McTominay his full confidence as a left-back player.

At Old Trafford, he has implemented drastic reforms of their defensive structures, revolutionizing positional rotations and going against his tactical tendencies to dominate possession. By playing a back three or signing Sofyan Amrabat he is creating the basis of an improved defense at Old Trafford – although title challenge might require further adjustments over time. Nonetheless, these foundations must continue to be improved upon.

Source: كورة فور ايفر