Ralf Rangnick says Manchester United's players need to toughen up if they want to be a Premier League force again.
United's top-four hopes suffered a huge blow with Saturday's meek 1-1 draw with Leicester at Old Trafford, with interim boss Rangnick criticising his side's lack of physicality.
“What was obvious in some parts of the game is that we were second best with regards to physicality,” said Rangnick.
“It was about one-on-one duels. Whenever there was body contact, we were too often second-best and that is something we have to get better at for the rest of this season, but even more so for next season. I just felt we could have been more dynamic, more physical, more aggressive, but we weren’t in those moments.
“It has to be a bit in the DNA of a player, to be honest. It's difficult to change, shall I say, a technically great player into a physical, aggressive player. We have a lot of people who are technical players.
"On a day when we are fluid and in our rhythm, we have shown in the past we can outplay other teams. But today was difficult. Leicester were aggressive and physical in many parts of the game. We had problems with them.
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"It is what it is and it's difficult to change. I don't think it's to do with mindset, it's to do with the DNA of players.
“This team does not lack technical players, it can do with more physicality. I never doubt or question the character of players and so far, from what I have seen in the last couple of weeks and months, I don’t think we have a lack of character.”
