Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag thinks his returning World Cup stars will have to learn his “rules and principles” again after a number of nations “played passively”.
After being beaten in their first two Premier League matches of the season under Ten Hag, Man Utd have now only lost two of their last 12 matches in the league.
Man Utd are in a decent position ahead of the Premier League restart on Boxing Day with the Red Devils sitting three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand.
Some matches at the World Cup were quite slow paced and Ten Hag admits he is concerned that his returning World Cup stars won’t be up to the pace of the Premier League.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, who appeared in the World Cup final, have been given extended breaks, while Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have all returned after their participation at the tournament.
“They have been playing for six weeks in a different environment with a different style of play, and they have to get back to our rules and principles. All 11 players have to be on the same page,” Ten Hag said.
“You saw in this World Cup many nations played passively, waiting and playing on the reaction.
“We have seen against Manchester City, that was our big problem in that game. We want to be dominant and proactive, but we played in a different way.”
Cristiano Ronaldo and his future had provided a distraction ahead of the World Cup break and Ten Hag is now hoping to get his side to consistently maintain high standards.
Ten Hag added: “We are in a good direction, but still there is a lot of room for improvement. It means keeping high standards. I always say, satisfaction makes you lazy.
“If you are too satisfied with yourself and the team, you will not maintain those standards.”
Man Utd midfielder Scott McTominay is “pleased” to get everyone back together after the World Cup break and is raring to get going again.
The Scotland international told a Q&A on the Man Utd website: “Obviously, for us, it’s a very different year in terms of the World Cup and things that have been going on. Some of us have had a break and some of us have been training and some of us were at the World Cup.
“It’s just great to get everyone back together and, in this day and age with football, you’ve got to be fit and athletic and you can’t really have too much time off. So if you are away you do have to train as well. So when everyone comes back, they’re pretty much ready to train again and the games come really quick.”
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