Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag mentioned he’s conscious that his membership’s extreme spending within the shut season switch window means there’s strain to safe a top-four end this time period.
United spent greater than 200 million kilos ($240.92 million) to usher in Brazilian duo Antony and Casemiro from Ajax Amsterdam and Real Madrid respectively, Argentine World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez and Dutch full again Tyrell Malacia forward of the present marketing campaign.
Ten Hag, who took over as coach from Ralf Rangnick in April, has revamped a squad seeking to flip issues round after their worst-ever Premier League factors haul final time period. United are fifth within the present standings, three factors off the highest 4.
“I accept how it is, I accept that pressure,” Ten Hag instructed a information convention. “But additionally for the supervisor of Chelsea and of Newcastle United, these golf equipment who’ve invested rather a lot of their squad.
“It’s big pressure for all of us to get into the top four. We want to be in the top four and fighting for trophies that’s our aim.”
It stays unclear whether or not two gamers key to United’s tried transformation — first-choice centre again pairing Martinez and Raphael Varane — might be obtainable for Tuesday’s dwelling conflict with Nottingham Forest.
Varane was on the shedding aspect as France succumbed to Argentina in final weekend’s World Cup last, with Martinez watching on from the bench as an unused substitute.
“I can’t answer that question now,” Ten Hag mentioned of Martinez’s potential availability. “He’s nonetheless celebrating in Argentina, in Buenos Aires, he’s on the tour going round in Buenos Aires.
“I can perceive that, it’s very emotional, very loaded if you win the World Cup (and produce it) into your nation, it’s magnificent. But Licha Martinez additionally has to just accept that on the twenty seventh the Premier League will go on.
“Varane, of course, is disappointed about losing the final but he can also be proud of being in the final again and all that he has achieved in his career is massive, as a team and a player, to win so many trophies.”
Ten Hag doesn’t anticipate Jadon Sancho to be obtainable towards Forest as he has nonetheless not returned to squad coaching. The 23-year-old began a person coaching programme within the Netherlands 4 weeks in the past and has not performed since United’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Oct. 22.