The new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has signalled his intent to play an aggressive pressing game next season.
In his first pre-season game this week, a 4-0 win over Liverpool, the intensity with which his players pressed was notable, and he has confirmed this will continue.
“We want to press, we want to press all day and play proactive football,” the Dutchman said in a press conference in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday.
“Sometimes we can do that high but if not possible, we have to read it as a team and drop lower. But we want to press and that has to be the intention all day."
Ten Hag’s predecessor, United’s interim manager Ralf Rangnick also arrived at the club with a strong reputation for making his teams press, but after doing it in his first game against Crystal Palace, decided his players were not able to do it and stopped.
However, Ten Hag enjoyed success at Ajax with a high-pressing game that demanded a lot from his players and he has confirmed he wants to transport this to Old Trafford.
"From every area of the team, I want productivity. That's the most important thing, that players take the initiative on and off the ball, in offense and defence."
Ten Hag was speaking ahead of United’s second pre-season game against Melbourne Victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
"It's pre-season but in football you play to win,” he said. “So in the end it's always important, winning. But of course in this pre-season we also have to develop our team so that is also a very big target for the game. Our squad is at full capacity. We have a strong squad so the fans will be happy."
“We are happy with this game because it is different opposition. It is always good to play against a team with a different culture. From Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, we know what we can expect. From Melbourne Victory, it will be different. I think they play in a good level and they are second in the league last year so they will have a strong squad. It is going to be a good test."
Several United players performed well in their opening pre-season game who Ten Hag was keen to praise, including Jadon Sancho and Eric Bailly.
"I was really happy to see [Sancho play well on the right]. I think we have a good left side but I think you see against Liverpool that we also have attacks on the right side and it was good to see it because you want to have balance. If you are only on one side it is quite predictable so we want that to develop over two sides but also in the middle and from everywhere."
When asked about Bailly’s impressive display, Ten Hag replied, “I am happy. We need a full squad for the coming season with a lot of games. In the middle there's a World Cup so we need a really full squad with a lot of competition between the players so we push each other to a higher level.”