World Cup

Erik ten Hag: 'World Cup players must be ready for return of club football'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 07 December 2022

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag says that the club's players involved in the World Cup must be able to step straight back into club football later this month.

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has said that the players involved in the 2022 World Cup must be able to step straight back into club football.

Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Fred, Antony, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Raphael Varane, Tyrell Malacia, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot are all still at the competition, with Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Netherlands and Portugal involved in the quarter-finals.

Christian Eriksen's Denmark side were knocked out in the group stage, though, which was also the case for Facundo Pellistri's Uruguay outfit.

The quarter-finals of the tournament will take place on Friday and Saturday, with the semi-finals set for next Tuesday and Wednesday.

The final will then take place on December 18, three days before Man United take on Championship outfit Burnley in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

Brazil's Casemiro celebrates scoring their first goal with Vinicius Junior on November 28, 2022 © Reuters

Ten Hag has said that his players involved in the latter stages of the World Cup must be able to transition back into club football quickly.

"We had a plan, we have prepared the players with what the plan is so there can't be any confusion about what the programme is," Ten Hag told MUTV.

"We make the players aware of the fact that, after you are out of the World Cup, you have to return to the club and the league immediately goes on.

"You have to be ready for that, but I think our players are used to it. Our players are winners, and they are battling now for the World Cup, and in the moment they are out - hopefully one is the winner - they have to deal with that.

Argentina's Lisandro Martinez in action with Saudi Arabia's Feras Al-Brikan on November 22, 2022 © Reuters

"With the success they have, or the defeats, they have to deal with it and of course they have to be ready for another challenge."

Man United are currently in Spain preparing to take on Cadiz and Real Betis in two mid-season friendlies on Wednesday and Saturday respectively.

After the Burnley match, the 20-time English champions will resume their Premier League campaign against Nottingham Forest on December 27 before ending the year against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.

The Red Devils entered the break for the World Cup off the back of a 2-1 victory over Fulham, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring a late winner for the visitors at Craven Cottage.