Ten Hag on United's comfortable 3-0 win at Southampton

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TEN HAG ON UTD'S COMFORTABLE 3-0 WIN AT SOUTHAMPTON  14/09/2024  ST MARY'S STADIUM, SOUTHAMPTON, UK

Transcript

00:00I'm very pleased, of course. I'm very happy for him as well.

00:28I know he has some very good attributes as a leader,

00:32but he's also a very good finisher in set-plays,

00:35and that is one of the reasons we bought him.

00:38Overall, you're very happy with how the game turned out,

00:40of course, after they saved from under a man.

00:42Yes, also I think that was a turning point in the game,

00:46we caught momentum, and there you see how small the margins are.

00:51Against Brighton, we scored a goal, and it was crazy, disallowed.

00:57Today, you could see the penalty,

01:02Andre caught him, and a couple of minutes after we scored the goal,

01:06from that moment on, it was our game.

01:09Were you a bit worried before the penalty?

01:15Not worried, but you have to find a footnote in the game,

01:20and that is every game, especially away from home.

01:23There's a good learning for this team, how to do this.

01:28It was a very intelligent and good performance by Amad,

01:32I think a lot of people expect that he can probably start the game this season,

01:37but does that show what he thinks of the team?

01:41No, actually, Amad starts the most games in this season so far,

01:45because he's progressing very well.

01:49He gives a lot to the team, as you say, you mentioned the word intelligence,

01:54and I think he showed this in and out of possession.

01:59He has some attributes, but it's always very pleasing for a manager and for a team.

02:05Was there a number of second-half changes?

02:08Certain players that were injured or not?

02:12It looks like, yeah.

02:14As you know, we had many players on international duty,

02:18also players intercontinental, really far away from Manchester,

02:25and then go away to Southampton, again in June, at 12.30.

02:29It was a short turnaround for some players, but the lads did incredibly good.

02:34That is also what we demand and expect,

02:37but it's not an advantage when you have so many players on international duty

02:43and you have to play a 12.30 game.

02:45So the credit is for the lads and the team.

02:48You said before the Community Shield your team would take time to come together.

02:53Do you feel they're coming together better now?

02:56I definitely do see in the games from the Community Shield on

03:01that this team is growing, but it still needs time.

03:06We have to build this team, but I'm sure we will get there,

03:13but it will be hard work.

03:15But you see from game to game the improvements.

03:19Eric, after the Liverpool game, Marcus Rashford came in

03:23through an unfair amount of sticks,

03:26but today after he scored, you can almost see the confidence growing visibly.

03:31How important was that moment?

03:34It's very important, and we don't pay attention to what the outside world is telling,

03:41but you are right, it was too much negativity to him

03:46because he created two great chances, 100 per cent chances in that game as well,

03:51and also in other games in this season so far.

03:54He's playing very well and he deserved that goal,

03:56but you have to work for it, and that's what he's doing at this moment.

04:01And then you get the reward, and I think he scored a great goal.

04:04He's scored already so many goals for Manchester United,

04:09and at his age the number of goals is amazing,

04:14and I'm sure he will score many more goals.

04:18But to get into a season for every striker is so important,

04:22to be on the scoring list.

04:24Then you're building momentum, you're building belief,

04:27and then it will come into more goals.

04:31Hi, Eric. You had some difficult away pitches in terms of timing

04:35with a couple of 8 p.m. games in London on Saturday,

04:38two 12.30s on the side of the coach already.

04:41Does that put your team at advantage?

04:43And also, is it unfair on the fans?

04:45I know it's up to the Premier League to look at,

04:47but United in particular seem to get a great deal of support

04:50in terms of away football.

04:52First of all, look to the fans, it's very unfair for the fans to deal with this.

04:59As you mentioned, the 8 o'clock away games for them on a Saturday night,

05:04the 12.30, it's not right.

05:07But they're always there, so I'm so proud of our fans,

05:12that they're always there, and whatever happens on the pitch,

05:17they're always supportive of the team.

05:19There's a really good connection, as you have seen today,

05:22and they bring a very good ambience at Old Trafford,

05:24but also in away games.

05:27But I think the Premier League should also pay some attention to this in the fixture list.

05:32Does it affect the team as well when you have those Premier League games?

05:39It's a big disadvantage, but we have to deal with it,

05:42and as they did today, you see the team is mature, the players are mature.

05:47It doesn't matter, we always have to win.

05:50We can't bring any excuse not winning a game.

05:54Last question.

05:57...in terms of coming inside,

06:00is that designed to create greater solidity in the middle,

06:03especially in the context of Liverpool?

06:08Sure, but that is what we want more often, to build such constructions.

06:16But there are also some new players who we have to integrate in the team,

06:23and that needs time to recognise the timings,

06:29to get in the right position, and they are capable of doing that.

06:34When we work better, we will have a better in-possession game,

06:39but also take more control in moments we lose ball.

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