Erik ten Hag says Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is “in very good shape” and “very ambitious and motivated to have a very good season,” ahead of the Community Shield against Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday.
The United attacker had a season to forget last term, scoring seven Premier League goals and missing out on a place in England’s Euros squad. There were also off-field issues, with Rashford dropped after hosting a birthday party hours after United lost a Manchester derby and then disciplined for missing an FA Cup game after a trip to Belfast.
However, Ten Hag appears to be impressed by Rashford’s shape and application during pre-season so far as the 26-year-old bids to recapture the form which delivered him 30 goals in 2022/23.
“We’ve seen on the tour he’s very lively, in very good shape already and we expect a lot, as we expect from the whole team this season again,” said Ten Hag, who laughed off the suggestion there was any issue between him and the player.
“There are so many suggestions around Manchester United, this team. We know the truth. He’s working very hard [and he is] very ambitious and motivated to have a very good season.”
Ten Hag will be aiming to make it back-to-back wins over Manchester City at Wembley when he leads United into the Community Shield three months on from his side’s FA Cup win over their neighbours at the national stadium.
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Manchester United manager Ten Hag discusses whether Jadon Sancho could start centrally in Saturday’s Community Shield against Manchester City
The Dutchman feels his side have nothing to prove this weekend – but have the ability to beat any opponent. It is their results against weaker sides which he feels could define their Premier League performance in this coming campaign.
“We will challenge for the Carabao Cup and FA Cup as well,” Ten Hag said when asked about United’s prospects of a Premier League tilt. “It shows we are competitive and can beat any opponent. That’s what we proved in the last two seasons.
“We beat Liverpool, we beat Manchester City. Our challenge is to bring consistency against lower-class teams – [although] I don’t think there are lower-class teams in the league – to win the points. Other teams are ahead of us in that prospect and there we have to keep up.
“We know already we can beat City. It’s not dependent on the result on Saturday, it will not change that belief.
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Ten Hag discusses the club’s transfer strategy as they look to bolster the squad in the summer window
“The FA Cup is a higher occasion. But nonetheless we want to win but we showed we can beat City.
“We don’t want to take a risk with players and lose players for a long period. That’s what we have to take from last season when you’re in a pattern of missing any players with injuries. Players have to be available.”
Defensive concerns for Man Utd ahead of Community Shield
It may not quite be a full-blown defensive crisis but Ten Hag and Manchester United have fitness issues in their backline which will cause the manager a dilemma ahead of Saturday’s Community Shield against Manchester City.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Ten Hag said there was a “question mark” over the fitness of Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw.
That means Ten Hag could be without an entire back four for the season curtain-raiser and would add to a defensive injury list which also includes Leny Yoro and Tyrell Malacia.
Ten Hag, then, may have to give substantial minutes to the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot who are yet to feature for United in pre-season due to their involvement in international competitions this summer.
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Ten Hag presented Alejandro Garnacho and Lisandro Martinez with an award following their Copa America win with Argentina
“We think about Lucha to be involved in the game,” Ten Hag said about the centre-back specifically.
“Maguire was [left out of the pre-season defeat to Liverpool as] a precaution but he is still a question mark for Saturday. We have training, we have to see whether he’s fit enough or not to be available.
“Victor, he played, but also he’s a question mark and Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw are question marks, we have to assess them [on Friday].”
On players such as Martinez and Dalot, who missed the US tour, Ten Hag said: “We put them on off-season programmes but they all have different starts in the pre-season in the weeks we were in USA so individual to individual we’ll assess them.”
Jonny Evans – who was ill during the loss to Liverpool – and Harry Amass will also be in contention to start at Wembley.
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window officially closes on August 30 at 11pm UK time in the Premier League and 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League has brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.