Manchester United emerged triumphant with a 2-0 win over Arsenal in their pre-season friendly match on Saturday, proving Erik ten Hag’s statement before the game to be spot-on.
Image: MUTV)
Erik ten Hag’s assertion that Manchester United “don’t play friendly games” was proven accurate as his team delivered an impressive performance against Arsenal.
Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho each scored a goal, securing a comfortable victory for the Red Devils at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. Ten Hag expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance and the level of competitiveness throughout the game.
During the match, a heated moment occurred when Bukayo Saka was on the receiving end of a forceful challenge by Lisandro Martinez, resulting in a minor scuffle involving players from both teams and a yellow card for the United defender.
Prior to the game, Ten Hag confidently stated in a press conference, “We don’t play friendly games.” This sentiment was echoed by goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who affirmed after the match, “There’s no friendlies at this football club.”
Ten Hag expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “We are very happy with the way we played, our activity with and without the ball. This is the way we want to play.”
While the result is important, the focus for Manchester United during pre-season is laying the foundation for the upcoming season. Fernandes, who scored in the match, emphasized the attention to detail by the manager, highlighting the challenging nature of pre-season and the continuous improvement required.
After a promising debut season in charge, Ten Hag’s objective is to guide the Red Devils to the next level. In anticipation of the match against Arsenal, he said, “We showed that we can defeat top opponents in both big and small games. Now, the challenge is to maintain consistency in our performances, and that is something we aim to achieve together with the players, staff, fans, and everyone involved with Manchester United.”
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Ten Hag expressed his determination to achieve consistency, stating, “Consistency is crucial. It is the expectation for every player and the team as a whole. We have demonstrated that we can triumph against any opposition in the world, but now we must deliver that level of performance consistently.”
He added, “This poses a significant challenge for everyone involved. We need to build a strong foundation, a belief within the squad, and the determination to win major trophies. That is our ultimate goal.”
