Erik ten Hag has previewed Manchester United’s trip to Tyneside to take on Newcastle United this weekend.
It’s lining up to be a crucial top-four battle for this season’s Premier League campaign. Currently, United occupy third place whilst Newcastle sit fourth, however, they can leapfrog the Reds with a win.
Ahead of the clash, Ten Hag has addressed the media with the latest Man United news for the first update on his squad following the international break.
Here’s all of what he had to say, courtesy of Manchester Evening News.
Rashford latest:
“I’ve good hope, he trained but he had to dos some treatment, he had to do some individual training, today he joined in with the group. We have one more day. I have a good hope he will be available.”
Update on Rashford contract talks?
“We never do. It’s an internal process. We focus on winning games, of course also planning for the future so in the back we’re working on that. It’s about agents, it’s about football director John Murtough, Rashy and I are focusing on performing.”
Luke Shaw signed a new deal?
“If he signed, I don’t know, I haven’t heard, John didn’t inform me until now. I have to wait for that. If true, I am pleased. We definitely want to keep him because he’s a really important player for our team.”
Want to keep Rashford and De Gea too?
“Yeah, I do.”
How have you helped Rashford’s form?
“It’s not about just a talk, I’m not Harry Potter. It’s like a process, so there are many tools you’re putting in in your management to let people get to best form, best shape so it’s about line-up, way of playing, it’s about coaching, talks, informal, it’s about coaches working with him and especially it’s a lot about himself because he’s the one and he has the skills so when he is in the best attitude, best mentality then.”
Martial’s return
“He’s in training, so for two weeks now, I think he can be in [the matchday squad].”
Could McTominay play up front?
“Scott can play in many roles, it’s clear he has scoring capabilities for Scotland but also this season for us he’s a really good finisher but I see him as a midfielder so I think I’m happy with Wout is doing. Because when Wout is in the team the team is performing better.”
Need other goalscorers?
“I think we have players like Bruno, like Jadon Sancho, like Anthony Martial, like Scott McTominay, like Antony dos Santos, we have enough players with the capabilities to score goals, definitely. What I said previously, I work in the back on next season but we’re working now on this season, so first of all make sure everyone is available and keep improving the way of play and that’s the best chance of scoring more goals.”
Newcastle irritating to play against?
“Concern, we know they delay, yeah. It’s something that is what the refereeing doesn’t want, they want to have tempo in the game, that is the aim of the PL, so they have to be consistent to let the game go, so do and act what the policy is.
“It’s about us, like we did in the two previous games, it’s about us, as every game, we want to dictate, to control the game but we play against a good opponent, we’re aware of that. They’ve had a great season with their manager, way of play. It’s a team that is really hard to beat. We are looking forward to the challenge and the evidence is we can beat them.”
Rashford’s break and trip to NYC
“I think it’s positive that he was in a break. I think Rashford, I think with Bruno, he was playing the most games of the whole squad and I think with Manchester United playing the most games across Europe and especially the internationals, our internationals are not mostly on the bench, mostly they are playing. Our players are playing the most games in this crazy season. They need a breather to collect energy. For me, it’s positive he took that time to turn off from football. I have seen him back this week and he has shown a lot of energy, a lot of motivation, it was a good spirit and a lot of focus. Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Bruno, Casemiro, they are starters for their nations. I want to emphasise they have the most games across the season so far. We played an extra round in the Europa League.”
