Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has explained how Erik ten Hag has managed to change the culture at Old Trafford following his arrival in the summer.
Despite enduring a difficult start to his career with the Reds - losing to Brighton and Brentford on the opening two weekends of the campaign - the Reds have been impressive in recent months and are currently the only side in England still competing on all four fronts.
Ten Hag has the chance to win his first trophy with United on Sunday afternoon, with the Reds taking on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. United have not lifted any silverware since winning the Europa League and League Cup in 2017.
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While several players have improved significantly under the management of the Dutchman - Marcus Rashford being the prime example - others have seen their minutes drop. Maguire has only played 10 times in the Premier League this term, and just 19 times in all competitions.
Despite that, the skipper has lauded the job Ten Hag is doing at Old Trafford as United prepare to face the Magpies in the first domestic final in the English football calendar.
"His ideas are different to a lot of what we’ve been used to, I must say. He was a defender as well," Maguire told talkSPORT. "This season, he has proven that it works and it has worked in the past as well.
"He has brought a philosophy and ideas on how he wants us to play. He’ll probably tell you that there is still a lot of improvement that we need to do. He’s so demanding in everything that he does and everything that he says.
"Whether it’s on the training pitch or whether you’re having a passing drill at the start and you miss a pass – he’s on you straight away and that’s the demands he sets. He wants high standards."
Although the England international has struggled for game time this season, with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane preferred at centre-back, he still spoke of the pride he would feel at lifting the Carabao Cup as captain of the club.
He added: "It’ll be an amazing moment for myself. It’s a huge honour for a captain of this football club. A real privilege. Ever since I’ve been made captain it’s been a dream to lift my first trophy for this football club.
"It’s been a long process but like I said we’ve got a long way to go and it’s a big game and I’m not going to be thinking too much about it until the moment comes."
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