By Lori Ewing
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag pleaded for patience with his struggling squad ahead of what could be a pivotal Premier League match at Aston Villa on Sunday amid widespread speculation about his job.
United are 13th in the Premier League standings on seven points after six games, their worst start since 1986-87.
They face a fifth-placed Villa side who are enjoying their best start since 2008-09 and are coming off a 1-0 Champions League win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
“We are in there together, the ownership, leadership team, the staff,” Ten Hag told reporters on Friday.
“I appointed new staff. We bought new young players, and we have to integrate them, like Manuel Ugarte,” he added. I know in top football, usually you don’t get time. They have to perform immediately, but that’s not always realistic. He has to get used to our game model, to his teammates, to the intensity of the Premier League. It needs time.”
After United gave up a two-goal lead in a 3-3 draw with Porto on Thursday, United defender Harry Maguire said there is a mentality issue within the team.
“What is the mental issue?” Ten Hag said. “There is a range, a spectrum of topics and you have to address it right. So this team has the belief that they don’t give up. So they have that range of mentality and have a strong mentality.
“If we want to win trophies, in some areas we need to improve.”
Ten Hag also insisted captain Bruno Fernandes does not have an issue with discipline after he was sent off for the second successive game, both for a high boot.
His sending off in last weekend’s 3-0 league loss to Tottenham Hotspur was overturned earlier this week.
“So they acknowledge there was a mistake on Sunday and I would say he was very unlucky against Porto,” Ten Hag said. “He gave everything to make a goal. He was in the right spot, and the player came from the blind side and he didn’t see him. So I wouldn’t address it as undisciplined.”
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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