Man United head coach Erik ten Hag has expressed disappointment after his team kicked off their pre-season campaign with a disappointing start as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to Norwegian outfit Rosenborg on Monday evening.
While the result in a pre-season friendly might not be the biggest concern, manager Erik ten Hag made it clear he was far from impressed with his team’s performance, Footballrover reports.
United fielded a team featuring a mix of established stars like Casemiro, Jonny Evans, Mason Mount, and Marcus Rashford, alongside youngsters Radek Vitek and Ethan Williams.
Despite the experience on the pitch, the Red Devils struggled throughout the match and conceded the only goal deep into stoppage time.
Ten Hag Unhappy with Performance
Speaking after the game, Ten Hag acknowledged that fitness might not be at its peak yet, but the overall performance fell short of his expectations.
“This is not the standard for top football. We can’t be match fit at this moment,” he declared in an interview with MUTV.
The coach said that while their opponents had a significantly higher fitness level, Manchester United still had to perform better because of the team’s identity.
The Dutchman emphasised that Manchester United should always be aiming to dominate their opponents.
While this result may not reflect the team’s strategy for the upcoming season, Ten Hag made it clear there’s significant work to be done.
Pre-Season Continues
Manchester United’s pre-season tour continues on July 20th with a trip to Scotland to face Rangers at Murrayfield Stadium.
Following that, the Red Devils will head to the United States for a series of high-profile friendlies against Arsenal, Real Betis, and their arch-rivals Liverpool.
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