Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has admitted that Erik ten Hag wants his players to dictate games as the Red Devils seek to take control of games going forward.
Ten Hag’s team had a terrible start to the season, losing to Brentford and Brighton in their opening two league games. However, they have significantly improved in recent months and are currently fifth in the Premier League standings.
Although they still have a play-off match against Barcelona ahead of them, the Reds have advanced to the knockout stages of the Europa League.
De Gea had been playing well before the domestic season break after a difficult start to the year, but it wasn’t enough to earn him a position in Spain’s World Cup roster. Despite this, the goalkeeper has concentrated on his time at the club ahead of the friendly games.
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The 32-year-old Spaniard revealed that Ten Hag expects his team to press hard and win the ball back in the opponent’s half, something that United found difficult to do last season.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, he said:
“I think this year we want to dictate games and want the ball. We want to play from the back and press teams, press high in the opposition half. We try to keep the ball in the opposition half, try to score goals and win games.”
De Gea acknowledged that he and his teammates had a bad start to the season while talking about the Reds’ advancements in recent months. The goalkeeper insisted that the team is currently moving in the right direction. Ten Hag has already done a great job bringing discipline back among his players.
The Red Devils continue to impress in recent games but they will be prepared for a tough schedule in the second half of the season. The upcoming transfer window will be crucial as the board will try to sign their respective targets in an attempt to secure their place in the top four.
United need to play UCL football next season as it can boost their financial status and help them pull quality players to the club.
