Manchester United start the Premier League campaign this evening against Wolves at Old Trafford. With all the other games having already taken place this weekend, with six of them winning, United will be hoping for three points and lots of goals.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of the game, Erik ten Hag discussed his hopes for the season ahead.
I hope the same as last season, but even stronger because we want always more. We had a really good vibe between fans and the team, and we want to keep that but even better because we want more. We want to give the fans enjoyable football. We want, of course first, a winning team with the right attitude, with a good vibe and spirit in the team. And then we hope again that we get that vibe into the stands, so that we build a great ambience at Old Trafford and all the away games.
Mason Mount and Andre Onana are expected to make their debuts tonight. Both were signed early enough to mean they’ve already had a few games during the pre-season tour. Ten Hag discussed the new signings.
I think they are in a good place. And it’s definitely an advantage when Mason was in from the start, first session he was there. Andre came in, we were just in the USA, came into the team and then in the tour. So, you are so intense, you live together and then you know each other very quick. So that’s a big advantage. They are there. And we are also pleased that Rasmus Hojlund, of course, came to us. [He] joined in, [he] can now learn his team-mates, the staff around and yeah, I think we are in a good place. We had a good foundation from last season and now we have to build on.
Wolves sacked their manager, Julen Lopetegui, last week and replaced him with Gary O’Neil. Having been appointed as a caretaker manager at Bournemouth last season, before the position was then made permanent, O’Neil was replaced at the end of the season. This campaign will mark the beginning of his second year in management. Ten Hag discussed our opponents and how he expected a tough game.
As [are] all the opponents in the Premier League, [they are] very tough. They also had a very good pre-season as we had. So, we have to be [on the] front foot, we have to be ready, and we have to go 100 per cent in our levels to beat them.
You don’t know. It’s like the dark room we are now in. You can’t tell but what it’s about is us. I’m never interested in [it]. Yeah, I respect every opponent. And, of course, we know everything from our opponent. But finally, it’s there, it’s about us and how we play against this opponent.
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