“The 2024-2025 Premier League season is underway, and Manchester United is grappling with a host of pre-season issues. Manager Erik ten Hag has expressed concerns over the team’s readiness, given the compressed preparation period”
Manchester United’s preparations for the new season have been fraught with difficulties. With the new campaign already underway, Manager Erik ten Hag acknowledges the challenges his team faces, despite not having the extended pre-season period typically available.
Ten Hag highlighted the issues of integrating players into the squad amid a whirlwind of changes. “This isn’t the typical pre-season period where you have six weeks to work with your players. Everything is moving quickly now. We’ve had a squad traveling across the U.S. for tours, and we’ve had to continuously adjust our lineup due to new signings and players returning from international tournaments,” he explained.
As the new season kicks off, United will see the return of captain Harry Maguire, who missed Euro 2024 due to injury. His comeback is anticipated to be a boost for the squad. However, the team will be without left-back Luke Shaw, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury that also plagued him during the latter part of the previous season.
“Luke Shaw’s return is imminent, but we must be patient. He’s crucial to our squad, and while we need him back as soon as possible, we cannot rush his recovery,” Ten Hag said.
In Shaw’s absence, players like Noussair Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez, and Diogo Dalot are expected to fill the void. Despite these options, the team’s defensive line will need to adjust quickly to maintain their effectiveness.
Last season was a challenging one for Manchester United, ending in a disappointing 8th place in the Premier League. This was their worst finish since the inception of the Premier League, with their previous low being 7th in the 2013-2014 season. Nonetheless, Ten Hag managed to salvage some success by leading the team to an FA Cup victory over Manchester City.
Looking ahead, Ten Hag’s renewed contract with the club reflects the hope that he can steer United back to prominence. “We understand our goals and the direction we need to take. My focus now is on integrating new players to enhance the team’s performance and achieving our set objectives,” Ten Hag stated.
The season opener for Manchester United will be a match against Fulham, scheduled to kick off at 2:00 AM on August 17 at Old Trafford. As the new Premier League season begins, all eyes will be on how United performs under the strain of their pre-season hurdles and squad changes.
