Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has acknowledged that his team is not fully prepared for their opening Premier League match against Fulham on Friday night.
Despite the lack of readiness, Ten Hag confirmed that new signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui would be included in the squad for Fulham’s visit to Old Trafford, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event. However, Joshua Zirkzee and teenage defender Leny Yoro will miss the match due to injuries, and Ten Hag is also managing the fitness of several players who reported for training at different times over the summer due to international duties.
“It’s true that this isn’t the pre-season where you can work on the team for five or six weeks,” Ten Hag said. “It’s very complicated. We had our USA tour squad and have since added players who participated in the Euros and Copa America, as well as the new signings, so now we need to create a cohesive team. While we face this challenge, the league starts, and there are other managers dealing with similar issues.”
He added, “We have our principles and must make a start. We cannot hide from this situation; we need to confront it.”
Ten Hag has previously worked with both De Ligt and Mazraoui at Ajax and confirmed their involvement in the upcoming match despite the team’s absences.
“It’s not just about the players who are unavailable,” he remarked. “We have a good group, and we can field a strong selection, which we will do.”
When asked about the fitness of De Ligt and Mazraoui, as well as Harry Maguire, who picked up a knock during the Community Shield, Ten Hag stated, “They will be in the squad. Harry Maguire will also be included.”
Rasmus Hojlund and Yoro are sidelined with injuries sustained on the pre-season tour of the United States, while left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia remain out, just as they were at the conclusion of last season. Malacia is recovering from a knee issue, keeping him out for the entire 2023-24 campaign, while Shaw will be unavailable until after the September international break due to a calf injury.
“Luke will return in the short term; it shouldn’t take long,” Ten Hag mentioned. “We are looking forward to his return, as he is a crucial player for our team. We want him back as soon as possible, but we can’t rush the process.”
Credit: Sky Sports
