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Louise Thomas
Editor
Under-fire Erik ten Hag says Manchester United must use their “madness” at Sunday’s Tottenham humiliation as motivation in their bid to turn things around.
The Dutchman’s third season in charge has begun in alarming fashion, with the 3-0 Old Trafford humbling by Spurs increasing the pressure on his position and noise around the club.
Defiant Ten Hag said he did not fear the sack after that loss, but the United manager is under intense scrutiny heading into a crunch double-header before the international break.
The Red Devils travel to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, three days after attempting to ignite their Europa League campaign at Porto.
“As always when we are not winning, we are very disappointed and we are also mad, mad with ourselves and especially when you lose a game like Sunday,” Ten Hag said at his delayed press conference.
“Also after all when you had to play such a long time with 10 players and after the red card is overturned, that gives frustration because such a long time to play with 10 is of course never in your advantage and had a real impact on the game but you have to deal with it.
“We are mad and from the madness we have to get motivation and go onto the next game.”
Ten Hag insisted in an interview before the trip to Portugal that United’s poor start to the campaign was nothing “to panic about” as he ignored talk of the sack and focused on making this season a success.
The manager has often pointed to their Carabao Cup triumph in his first campaign and last term’s season-saving FA Cup triumph, plus he has repeatedly explained the club are in transition.
Picked up on his comments about United being in transition, Ten Hag said: “Because of course, first season when I came in we had to replace six or seven older players, like (Juan) Mata, (Nemanja) Matic, (Paul) Pogba, (Jesse) Lingard.
“So, we started a process but also this summer we still had to replace some other players.
We are mad and from the madness we have to get motivation and go onto the next game.— Erik ten Hag
“We replaced them with many young players, like (Joshua) Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.
“They need time to get used to the standards of the Premier League, the standards of a club as United, especially, we have to fit them in our game model and in the standards of the league they are playing in.”
United need to kickstart their season and Europa League campaign in Porto, having been held to a 1-1 draw by Ten Hag’s former club Twente at an expectant Old Trafford last week.
That result means they have won just one of their last nine European games – a victory against Copenhagen that required a stoppage-time penalty save from Andre Onana.
Their continental headaches extended to the build-up this time around, with fog in Porto delaying their arrival by two and a half hours.
United have brought a 23-man squad to Portugal, including Kobbie Mainoo after he went off with an apparent hamstring issue against Spurs.
Harry Maguire missed that match with a knock but travelled to Porto, where Mason Mount, Yoro, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw remain absent.
“(Mount) had a head injury and picked up a knock so they are the two reasons why he’s not available for tomorrow,” Ten Hag said.
“On the left-back, they are improving but we hope Luke Shaw can return after the international break quickly.
“I don’t know if it’s the first game we’re hoping for, but I can’t, in this moment, tell this with 100 per cent security.
“But, yeah, from now on, we have two-and-a-half weeks to work to that point. And, shortly after, he’ll be there.
“Tyrell is making good progress on the pitch but has to make the step up to full team training.”
