The under-scrutiny boss of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag, has affirmed that he is undeterred by off-field distractions, ignoring criticisms from his former player, Cristiano Ronaldo, about his passion for the game. Ronaldo, who returned to Old Trafford for a second time, made several sensational remarks during an interview, leading to his contentious departure from the club in November 2022.
Among his comments, the now Al-Nassr player insinuated that ten Hag, at 39, lacked the drive and determination to bring United to a position where they could win the Premier League or Champions League. The Dutch manager was unperturbed by such remarks, and redirected to a comment made by Ronaldo on the Podcast ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ suggesting that it would be tough for United to mount a serious challenge.
Ten Hag responded to the critique in a measured manner, stating “He is far removed in Saudi Arabia, a great distance from Manchester. Everyone has the right to their viewpoint. It’s fine.” The noise about Manchester United and Ten Hag has grown louder amidst United’s disappointing 3-0 demolition at home by Liverpool, followed by a disheartening 2-1 defeat to Brighton.
As United prepare to face the recently promoted Southampton this Saturday afternoon, they aim to stay clear of a third Premier League loss in a row, which hasn’t happened since December 2015. Additionally, it’s been since the 1986-87 season that the club, which has been crowned English champions 20 times, has lost three out of their first four games.
Ten Hag commented cautiously on the club’s future, saying: “The season is still young and our focus is on winning matches and aiming for top positions. The position we are in next May will be decisive”. Responding to how the chatter around United has affected him, Ten Hag replied: “It doesn’t have any influence on me. I am fully aware of our current status and what our future actions should be.”
“We’re still going through a process of transition and lots of younger members of the team need to be incorporated,” is what I’ve previously stated. We’ve also got a lot of injuries to deal with and need to reintegrate those who’ve been off due to injuries back into the squad. Winning every match is a must and no excuse can change that. Myself, the team, we all recognise this and it doesn’t change, irrespective of who’s able to play. We approach every match with the sole objective of winning.”
Despite the challenges, United have had an impressive record, maintaining a 12-match unbeaten streak in Premier League visits to Southampton who, this season, are one of the only two top-flight teams yet to gain a point.
The St Mary’s clash will be without key players including Leny Yoro, Mason Mount, and Tyrell Malacia. Victor Lindelof has also been grappling with a toe issue. Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund are still off with calf and hamstring issues, respectively. However, new recruit Manuel Ugarte might be seen in action for the first time.
Talking about the injured players, Ten Hag commented, “Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund are making steady progress but aren’t fit for this match.” On Ugarte’s availability, he said, “As we know, Manuel Ugarte was with Uruguay. He was the only one who got back today, while the rest of the team returned yesterday. He is match-ready for this game.”