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Erik ten Hag pleased with Manchester United's pre-season

Erik ten Hag pleased with Manchester United's pre-season
© Reuters
Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag says that he was pleased with his side's pre-season.

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has said that his side have had "a good pre-season", with their preparations for the 2022-23 campaign coming to an end on Sunday.

The Red Devils have played six friendlies in total this summer, beating Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace during their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, in addition to drawing with Aston Villa.

The 20-time English champions then lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid on Saturday before drawing 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano in their final friendly on Sunday afternoon.

Man United will now have a full week of training ahead of their 2022-23 opener at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

Ten Hag has been pleased with his side's preparations for the new campaign, insisting that "good progress" has been made over the last few weeks.

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag on July 31, 2022© Reuters

"Overall, definitely. I think we [have had] a good pre-season. We make good progress. We are ready for the season. I know there is still room for improvement. We have to improve and that is also a process that continues during the season. But, for next week, it's about the result as well," Ten Hag told MUTV.

"It was a mixture between experience and youth [today]. Some guys, they need to see today, for the first time, what you can expect. You saw the attitude was really great, really the intention to co-operate. They fight and work for each other. That was positive.

"We create also a lot of chances and also conceded some chances. Overall, we have to be satisfied with this performance."

Man United finished sixth in the Premier League last season, but Ten Hag will be tasked with overseeing a challenge for a return to the top four in the new campaign.

The Red Devils will also take on Brentford, Liverpool and Southampton in the opening month of the new campaign before visiting Leicester City at the start of September.

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag pictured on July 11, 2022© Reuters

Man United also recently confirmed that Benni McCarthy had joined the coaching staff at the club, and Ten Hag was full of praise for the South African when asked for his view on the appointment.

"There was still one place in our coaching staff that I wanted to fill," he told MUTV. "Someone with a different voice and Benni is that one.

"He has experience as a manager. He was a coach in the professional level and he was a former striker, a really successful striker as well.

"He will focus on the positioning and attacking. I'm not saying only the strikers, but also the integration from the full-backs and midfielders. Our way of play has to be dynamic."

Cristiano Ronaldo played 45 minutes of Sunday's draw with Rayo amid the speculation surrounding his future, but Anthony Martial is expected to start at centre-forward against Brighton.

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Written by
Matt Law

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