‘The owners want to win’ – Erik ten Hag pleads for unity ahead of planned anti-Glazer protests at Man Utd vs Liverpool
ERIK TEN HAG has called for unity ahead of Manchester United’s crunch clash with bitter rivals Liverpool.
The Red Devils boss is aware there are more fan protests planned before Monday night’s game.
A march down Sir Matt Busby Way to Old Trafford is planned against owners, the Glazers.
But Ten Hag said: “I can only say the owners want to win and we want the fans behind the club.
“I can understand sometimes. But I am not that long in the club to see all the backgrounds, we have to fight together and be unified.”
The fear is, however, that another hammering at the hands of their fiercest rivals will only fuel the anger currently felt among the club’s disgruntled fan base.
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Ten Hag’s team have lost their opening two games — 2-1 at home to Brighton and a 4-0 humbling at Brentford — to slump to the bottom of the Premier League.
That has led to heightened calls for the Glazers to sell, with Salford-born billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe making public this week his desire to buy.
Years of mismanagement has translated itself on to the pitch with the club’s dramatic fall from grace.
Last season saw them record their lowest Premier League points total, 58, in finishing sixth.
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The expected new dawn under Ten Hag has had an awful start.
Their humiliation at Brentford — where they were four goals down within 35 minutes — was a new low.
Former Ajax boss Ten Hag has not shied away from the criticism after his first two games in charge.
He said: “First, I look myself and make a clear analysis.
“I take some notice of some criticism, some are really good, good advisors but also some are not that good.
“We work from game to game and we know what’s going on when we play Liverpool.
“You have to be ready and to fight yourself into the season but it’s from game to game.”
Ten Hag is fully aware of how much Monday night’s fixture means.
He said: “I know we are the rivals. We have to win every game, especially this game.”
Liverpool won 5-0 at Old Trafford last season, leading by four at the break and few would be surprised to see that again with the home team’s confidence currently shot.
Ten Hag says the only way his side will get that confidence back is if they sort themselves out as individuals first and then work for each other.
He added: “It starts with yourself, act as a team, follow the rules and principles and work hard, as hard as you can — and if you do that you can get confidence.”
There has been some good news with United finally landing the defensive midfielder Ten Hag felt was necessary to his rebuilding project.
He has already signed full-back Tyrell Malacia, centre-back Lisandro Martinez and attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen.
Now Brazilian international Casemiro has agreed a £60million switch from Real Madrid.
The 30-year-old has signed a four-year deal with the option of a further year on £350,000 a week.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti admitted that his player simply wants a new challenge.
I don’t know why he’s a particular focus after Saturday, it was the team performance, the whole team’s attitude, including Ronaldo.
Erik ten Hag
Ancelotti said: “I’ve discussed it with him. He wants to try a new challenge, a new opportunity. The club understand it — with all he has done for this club and the person he is, we have to respect it.
“I haven’t tried to convince him, I just listened, because I have spoken to Casemiro throughout my time here and he has helped us so much
“Having heard what he wants, there’s no way back.”
United will have Anthony Martial available on Monday. The French striker scored in a 4-0 pre-season win against a weakened Liverpool side but then suffered a hamstring injury.
After a full week’s training he will now put pressure on Cristiano Ronaldo for his place.
Ten Hag was tight-lipped about wantaway Ronaldo’s situation when he spoke at his press conference.
He said: “He’s in our plans, that’s what I can say.
“I don’t know why he’s a particular focus after Saturday, it was the team performance, the whole team’s attitude, including Ronaldo.”
On the news Ronaldo will tell the truth about his future in two weeks, Ten Hag added: “I don’t know what he will achieve with that.”