Posted: 22:30, August 14, 2022 | Updated: 23:42, 14 August 2022
Erik ten Hag brought his Manchester United flops for extra training on Sunday after the 4-0 defeat at Brentford. After calling the performance “rubbish”, the furious United boss canceled a planned day off and ordered the players to report to the club’s training base in Carrington. Ten Haag chastised his team for running a total of eight and a half miles less than Brentford, forcing them to cover the same distance yesterday in 30-plus degree temperatures. Sportsmail understands United’s coaching staff’s concerns about the effort put in by some players in training last week were justified by their pathetic performance at the Gtech Community Stadium. Erik ten Hag had his Manchester United players train on their day off on Sunday There are concerns at the club that Cristiano Ronaldo’s attitude is affecting his teammates Although Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be training well, he exchanged words with Ten Hag’s No 2 Steve McClaren at the final whistle after refusing to applaud United’s traveling fans, and there is a sense that his mood is having a negative effect on the dressing room. However, United rejected suggestions that Ronaldo’s contract could be voided and reiterated that he remains at the club. Ten Haag decided to fight his underachieving stars. He arrived early yesterday before an investigation into the latest humiliation began. The treble at Brentford followed an embarrassing 2-1 defeat by Brighton at Old Trafford on the opening weekend. Ten Haag is the first United manager in a century to lose his first two games. United, the 20-time English champions, have sunk to the bottom of the Premier League standings. Ten Hag is the first United manager in more than 100 years to lose his first two games Worryingly, the next game is at home to arch-rivals Liverpool who won 5-0 on their last visit to Old Trafford in October. Further protests against the club’s owners are planned for that game as United teeter on the brink of a full-blown crisis. Ten Hag will use Saturday’s defeat to increase his demands for new signings before the transfer window closes on September 1. He then admitted that United are in desperate need of reinforcements, but are still waiting for a defensive midfielder and a striker. “We need new players. We need quality players,” he said. “We’re working on it and we’ll do everything we can to get them to come.” United are hoping to complete a deal worth £15.2m, rising to £19m, for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot. Director of football John Murtough is set to continue talks with the Frenchman’s mother and agent Veronique today. United are hopeful of signing Adrien Rabiot from Juventus to improve their midfield Sources insist the signing would not mark the end of United’s pursuit of top target Frankie de Jong, although the Dutchman is believed to favor joining Chelsea should he leave Barcelona. De Jong would cost upwards of £70m, but a significant chunk of that money could be used to buy a forward if the deal falls through. Having considered Stuttgart’s £15m striker Sasa Kalajdzic, United could pay more for PSV Eindhoven’s £35m Cody Gakpo. They have also been offered Alvaro Morata of Atletico Madrid and Mauro Icardi of Paris Saint-Germain.
