Ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has emphasised the need for his team to exhibit more personality while playing away from home against top-flight teams.
Last season, the Red Devils suffered a series of away defeats at the hands of Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool, the latter ending in a crushing 7-0 loss.
“We have to step up in away games to get more points. It is often to do with personality,” Ten Hag stated on Friday, a week after his squad kicked off the season with a 1-0 victory at home over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ten Hag’s desires of an improved performance and ‘character on the pitch’ extends to the players’ focus amidst off-field uncertainties regarding the club’s ownership. The handling of Mason Greenwood’s situation, whose attempted rape charges have been dropped, is also pending resolution.
Ten Hag is specifically counting on defensive player Harry Maguire to deliver, after choosing to remain with the team. “He knows what I expect from him. He has the abilities to do it, so now he has to show it”, commented the manager.
He provided no assurances about Jonny Evans who finds himself without a contract following its expiry. Ten Hag clarified that Evans’ scenario wasn’t contingent on Maguire’s presence at Old Trafford, stating that talks are ongoing and news would be shared imminently.
In the meantime, everything is geared towards facing Tottenham Hotspur. Despite acknowledging that the performance against Wolves was not up to standard, Ten Hag viewed it as a sign of the team’s ‘character and personality’, which needs to be ramped up this season.
Ten Hag also confirmed the availability of Lisandro Martinez who was substituted at halftime during the last game. As Manchester United face Tottenham, whose opening game ended in a 2-2 draw at Brentford, raising their game will be crucial.
