Erik ten Hag has acknowledged the necessity of rotating his squad as his Manchester United club enters a demanding September schedule.
The Red Devils implemented eight alterations for their encounter with Barnsley in the Carabao Cup, including Altay Bayindir, Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire, Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Manuel Ugarte, Antony, and Alejandro Garnacho into the lineup. Simultaneously, Bruno Fernandes, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, and Kobbie Mainoo had positions on the bench at Old Trafford.
The meeting versus the Tykes was the initial of six matchups that United would contest in the next 20 days prior to the October international break. The team will participate in the Premier League, Europa League, and Carabao Cup throughout that timeframe.
Ten Hag has consistently fielded robust teams in domestic cup events, resulting in victories in each of his first two seasons in command. He acknowledged that he has no choice but to rotate his team this time to guarantee effective squad management. The Dutchman seeks a scenario in which playing time is distributed in the forthcoming weeks.
“We must rotate due to the numerous games and the necessity to manage the squad,” Ten Hag said Sky Sports. “The entire team is essential; one cannot solely focus on the starting eleven players.” All players in the squad must be allocated game time if they are available.
“We require the participation of all squad members, as we are engaged in five leagues [competitions],” the former Ajax manager stated. We aspire to succeed, yet there exists internal rivalry.
“We must determine the optimal team composition and chemistry, and this is an opportunity for certain players to demonstrate their capabilities.”
Ten Hag regarded the Carabao Cup match as the optimal occasion to include Ugarte into his team. The summer acquisition made his inaugural start for the club against their Yorkshire rivals, marking his first outing at Old Trafford.
The United manager aimed to cultivate intimacy between Ugarte and his teammates, even within a shuffled lineup. The Dutch coach has not felt capable until now.
We aim to incorporate him into the team promptly, but this requires time. “We had only one complete training session with him and two partial sessions; what can one expect?” he stated.
“However, we have now positioned him directly.” He must advance, he must evolve, and we must allow him and his colleagues time to acclimate to one another.
United’s significantly altered side effortlessly dominated their lower-league adversaries in the opening half. Marcus Rashford complemented his goal against Southampton with an impressive solo performance, thereafter, Antony increased their advantage by scoring his inaugural goal of the season from a penalty opportunity.
Alejandro Garnacho scored a third goal before halftime, thereby securing United’s position in the draw for the fourth round later this week.
