Ahead of Erik ten Hag’s opening Premier League game as Manchester United manager, the Dutchman spoke to the media on Friday afternoon, with United facing Graham Potter’s Brighton & Hove Albion side on Sunday at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo
As expected, wantaway striker Cristiano Ronaldo was asked of by several journalists on Friday afternoon at Carrington.
Ten Hag gave nothing away of the Portuguese international’s availability, answering “we will see Sunday” on whether Ronaldo would feature in United’s opener.
Ronaldo played just 45 minutes of last Sunday’s friendly at Old Trafford against Spanish side Rayo Vallecano, and the 37-year-old was pictured to be leaving the stadium before the final whistle along with compatriot Diogo Dalot.
However, Ten Hag was quick to defend United’s number seven.
He said: “There was many players who left, but the spotlight is on Cristiano – that is not right. Do your research.”
Ronaldo’s lack of options in terms of clubs means he still finds himself at Old Trafford, and Ten Hag has been very pleased with him since his return to training.
“I am really happy [with Cristiano]. We have a top striker, and I am really happy he is here and in the squad, and we stick to the plan.”
It wasn’t just Ronaldo who Ten Hag was overly pleased with.
On the rest of the squad, the three-time Eredivisie winner said: “I am totally satisfied with the whole team. They are really working good. There is a good culture.”
Earlier in the week, it was reported that Anthony Martial will miss the game through a minor hamstring injury, with Ten Hag confirming this on Friday.
The former Ajax manager currently only has Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho as his senior front men.
On the need for new additions in attack, Ten Hag said: “We said it before in the depth of the squad, we are still to strengthen.”
United have been linked with a player Ten Hag has worked with before at Ajax in Antony, though it looks as though the winger’s price tag has put off any move to Old Trafford.
In the last week, United have also been monitoring RB Salzburg striker, Benjamin Sesko, though they face competition from fellow Premier League clubs Chelsea and Newcastle United.
The search for a defensive midfielder continues
United’s concern for a number of seasons has been the lack of quality from holding midfield.
This was an issue under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and it looks as though Ten Hag will go his first summer at the club having failed to address such a gaping hole in the squad.
However, the new manager doesn’t see the position as big a problem as many others have made it.
“I think so,” was Ten Hag’s answer when asked whether he felt comfortable going into the season without a defensive midfielder.
He continued: “We saw in pre-season, we did pretty well there, in that department. I am convinced. We have a good team. We have a squad, but still, as I said, we can still strengthen the squad, but the team shows, we can play at a good level.”
Having lost Nemanja Matic on a free earlier in the window, Fred and Scott McTominay are the only real defensive midfield options Ten Hag has, however, youngsters Zidane Iqbal, Charlie Savage and James Garner did feature, and impress, in the minutes played out in Thailand and Australia on tour.
Team news
So far in the window, United have signed left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, centre-back Lisandro Martinez and former Spurs, Inter Milan and Brentford midfielder Christian Eriksen.
Malacia travelled and featured on the club’s pre-season tour, though Eriksen and Martinez played their first minutes just a week ago in friendlies against Atletico Madrid in Oslo, and Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford, however, Ten Hag confirmed both are fit and ready to start on Sunday.
When asked how long Anthony Martial would face on the side-lines, Ten Hag said: “It is always difficult to say with such injuries, but I hope not too long.”
Sunday’s opponents
Unlike the hosts, the Seagulls chose to stay in Europe for their pre-season preparations as they flew to Portugal.
The south coast club finished ninth last campaign, and Ten Hag knows exactly what he’s up against in his Premier League opener.
On Brighton, he said: “It’s a good team. [They play] decent football, attractive football. I like them for what I saw.”
Over the past few years, the club have adopted a great model, seeing them raise large sums of cash selling to the traditional ‘big six’.
This summer, Albion have sold Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella to Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, where they have earned a totally of £78 million.
Ten Hag was also asked of what he makes of United’s capitulation at the Amex last May but was quick to draw himself away from previous season’s failures.
He said: “Last season is last season. I’m not looking back. I’m looking forward, and we prepare the team for Sunday and for the future.”
Ten Hag is fully aware of the standards at the club.
On his aims of the upcoming season, he said: “Our aim is to win every game, and that is what Manchester United stand for. We have to look forward to the first game, and we want to win every game.
“When you are going into the new season in a new club, and a new team, we have worked really good, and tough in the last weeks to get a base, and I think we have the confidence and that base, so we are looking forward to start on Sunday.”