Erik ten Hag 'quite satisfied' after Manchester United's hard-fought Melbourne victory
Manager pleased with the way team rallied at the MCG
Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates scoring in the friendly against Melbourne Victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, July 15, 2022. EPA
Manchester United's Alex Telles, left, congratulated teammate Marcus Rashford after scoring his team's third goal. AP
Anthony Martial of Manchester United controls the ball against Melbourne Victory. AFP
Manchester United's Scott McTominay, centre, is congratulated by teammates after scoring his team's first goal. AP
Manchester United's Scott McTominay battles for the ball. AP
Harry Maguire of Manchester United with fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. EPA
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag speaks with Luke Shaw. AFP
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag admitted that he was concerned with his side’s vulnerability after they came from behind to beat Melbourne Victory 4-1 in front of 74,157 at the MCG. Scott McTominay, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and an own goal saw United score four for the second time in three days after Tuesday’s 4-0 win over Liverpool in Bangkok.
United, playing a high defensive line, were hit on the counter attack after four minutes with Ten Hag saying: “I don’t want to talk about the individual because the move was from the start high up the pitch. We made the wrong choices and then it ends up like a pack of cards. It's not one individual, it is more the team who made mistakes.”
The Dutchman was otherwise satisfied, saying: “It was our second game with a totally different approach from the opponent. They stood really back, really compact and we had to create by ourselves and from the left side it was not that easy. From the right side I was quite satisfied and we create a lot off the right side, four or five really good chances. We turned around the game, that was the really good thing. We don't come down, we react and we deal with the setback.”
Ten Hag was also happy with his side’s tactics.
“I'm very happy with that, I'm sure when we come to the season we have even more and have to improve in certain cases,” he said.
Man United ratings v Melbourne
MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: Tom Heaton - 6. Conceded a tap in after four minutes in Victory’s first game of the season, though hardly his fault. The only United player who stayed on the pitch for the second half as he played for 90 minutes. Firm with high balls. Getty
Diogo Dalot - 6. Crossed for the second goal after getting beyond the full-back. Ten Hag likes his full-backs to attack – and that’s why he’s liking Dalot. Getty
Victor Lindelof - 6. Out of position for the opening goal. United played a high line in defence which will take some getting used to and the takes on the team’s structure and style of play under the new manager were more interesting. Getty
Harry Maguire - 6. First minutes of the season and he was outpaced for the opener. Pushed up as United played a high line and headed a Shaw corner over on 36. Getty
Luke Shaw - 5. The opening goal, which was too easy, came down his side unchallenged. Not as good as he was against Liverpool. AFP
Scott McTominay - 6. United’s first decent effort on 17 minutes, then struck a 43rd minute shot which deflected in for United’s equaliser. AP
Fred - 6. Volleyed over after 38 and was involved in the build-up for the second goal. Didn’t put a foot wrong. Getty
Bruno Fernandes - 6. Crossed for McTominay on the right early on, then got a shot on goal after a promising move on 25. Lively on the right. AFP
Anthony Martial - 7. Started slowly like his team and failed to direct a 41st minute Elanga header towards goal, but did put United ahead on 43, finishing an Elanga set up from close range. AFP
Jadon Sancho - 8. Played on the right in a 4-3-3 formation and gave an excellent pass forward to Fernandes on 25 as United struggled to break down the A-League side. His 35th minute shot was deflected wide, but there have been encouraging signs pre-season. Getty
Anthony Elanga - 5. Teed the ball up for Martial to put United ahead after his side had struggled to break down the defensive shape of the Australian side. Must do more if he’s going to establish himself in the side. AP
(Team in second half) Ethan Laird - 6. Tangled with Miranda and seemed agitated by the foul. Useful minutes for the full-back, but his passing hardly impressed. AP
Eric Bailly - 7. The best player in the previous friendly against Liverpool, he sliced a 70th minute ball near his own goal and was fortunate to get away with it. Then gave the ball away to set up another attack on 75 – yet he also set up United’s third with another run forward. Getty
Alex Telles - 5. Back to make a challenge after an 80th minute Melbourne attack. Getty
Tyrell Malacia - 6. Little involved as most of Melbourne’s attacks came down the right. Did cross to Rashford on 81, who headed on target. Getty
Zidane Iqbal - 8. Assured in front of a large 74,157 crowd in the 101,000 capacity stadium. Best moment saw him out-muscle an opponent and then twist past him with a flurry of skill. A confident boy, he’s having a great tour. Getty
Charlie Savage - 7. As good as he was against Liverpool on Tuesday. Busy, combative, composed, good positioning, impressive. EPA
Donny van de Beek - 5. Rarely involved. Played as a ten, tried, made runs and found some good positions, but needs a big step up if he’s to feature in United’s first team under his former boss. Reuters
Tahith Chong - 6. Full of effort and ran at his man and squared in the 89th minute. His perseverance was rewarded as the ball was turned in by defender Lupancu to make it 4-1 in the 89th minute. AFP
Amad Diallo - 5. Barely involved in the middle of the attack. AP
Marcus Rashford - 7. Got his first goal of the season, calmly prodding in Bailly’s ball. Headed another effort on target too towards the end. AP
“We have to get a threat on both sides and I said last week our left side was really good and now the right side. Now I want both sides and also the middle because if you want to be creative against low blocks, you need it and the threat has to come from everyone. But especially in the first half we had quite a good formation and the first goal was a setback.”
Asked to comment on anther impressive performance by Jadon Sancho, he said: “Sure but I think the whole right side played really well because there's a good connection between Jadon Sancho and Diogo Dalot and Bruno, Martial and also McTominay.”
On the future of goalscorer Anthony Martial, who had a poor loan spell at Sevilla earlier in the year, Ten Hag said: “I'm sure he can come back even better. I think when he has the right focus and the right motivation and he works hard, he will have production because he is a good player. It's up to him.”
Asked why David de Gea and Raphael Varane didn’t feature, he said: “With David, you saw against Liverpool he fell out [of the game] but he trains already, he is back on the training pitch, no big worry. Raphael Varane also training but something small and I expect him back on the training pitch.”
United will remain in Melbourne, where players launched the latest away kit, ahead of Tuesday’s friendly with Crystal Palace. Shortly after the win against Victory, United confirmed the free transfer signing of Danish international Christian Eriksen.
United are also expected to sign Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez. The Argentinian’s agent posted a picture of him arriving in Manchester with his client and there’s an agreement with the player and Ajax. A United medical, contract and visa process will follow so it maybe a few days before the deal is completed and announced.