Four ways that Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United is starting to take shape

United will return from a productive pre-season tour unbeaten

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag (Getty)

Manchester United will return back from their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia unbeaten and in good spirits.

Though it can be always dangerous to read too much into pre-season friendlies, impressive wins over Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace were followed by a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday.

Erik ten Hag has got to work quickly to instil his own style of play and tactical principles on a side that lacked any sort of identity last season, while new signings Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez will join up with the rest of his squad imminently.

Even though there is more business to do, with the pursuit of Frenkie de Jong threatening to last all summer, there have already been hints at what we can expect during the Ten Hag era.

Here, The Independent looks at some of the clues provided by United’s tour as to how Ten Hag will set his side up...

De Gea still in goal but playing more expansively

With the departure of Dean Henderson to Nottingham Forest on loan, the theory that David de Gea’s position could come into question under Ten Hag’s management has been thoroughly debunked. There is now no doubt that he will be starting between the sticks on the opening weekend of the season.

Still, De Gea’s limitations with the ball at his feet and his more traditional goalkeeping skill set in general have been a point of debate for several years now, and the question of if he can adjust to Ten Hag’s definition of a modern goalkeeper is still a relevant one.

Last season, De Gea was an average of 13.6 yards off his line while performing defensive actions, the deepest of any goalkeeper at the ‘big six’ clubs. Yet the early signs are that he is adapting and becoming less risk-averse, if some rare forays off his line to sweep up danger and more ambitious, long-range passes are anything to go by.

There are likely to be teething problems – Ten Hag did not appear to be too pleased with one of De Gea’s passing choices during the win over Crystal Palace – but given that there is plenty of work to do in other areas of the squad this summer, De Gea will retain his place and be asked to play more expansively.

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire (Getty)

Maguire on the right of the defence, Martinez on the left

Although United have been frustrated in their attempts to sign other priority targets in the summer market, Lisandro Martinez will arrive as the most expensive defender in the club’s history. An agreement worth €55m (£46.8m) plus €10m in add-ons was reached with Ajax last weekend, subject to him completing a medical.

Martinez’s versatility and experience of playing as a holding midfielder have been highlighted – as has his 5ft 9in height – yet Ten Hag has given a clear indication of where his new signing will play. “I analysed and United last year were quite vulnerable over the left part of the defence. He is left-footed and that is an advantage in possession but also in defending.”

Harry Maguire typically played on the left-hand side of United’s defence last season. While Ten Hag’s identification of a ‘vulnerability’ will chime with many and might be interpreted as bad news for Maguire, the United manager has shown faith in his captain by retaining him as skipper and reaffirming his first-choice status.

“I think he is [a first-choice player]. He’s proved it in the past but he also has to prove it in the present and in the future. He has played 46 times for England. Harry is really impressive and I expect a lot from him,” Ten Hag said. “There is also internal competition and that is what a club like United needs. You cannot win with 11 players. We need a squad.”

Where does that leave Raphael Varane? While a World Cup and four-time Champions League winner might expect to be a regular starter, the reality of Varane’s first season at United was that he was often unavailable, failing to make their Premier League matchday squads 13 times.

Victor Lindelof might fairly expect to be more than a fourth-choice. Eric Bailly and Phil Jones remain on the books too. Maguire appears to have his manager’s backing and can expect to start alongside Martinez for now but the competition behind them both is suddenly fierce. Ten Hag has options to choose from.

Erik ten Hag has liked what he has seen from Fred in a holding role (Getty)

De Jong as the holding player but, if not, Fred

United’s pursuit of priority transfer target Frenkie de Jong appears no closer to conclusion, despite an agreement with Barcelona over the structure of a deal totalling €85m (£72.3m). The issue of his unpaid, deferred wages – believed to be worth at least £17m – is still a major obstacle.

Ten Hag has questioned De Jong’s suitability to a lone holding role in the past and typically partnered him with a more defensively-minded player during their time at Ajax. Yet when asked specifically about the pursuit of De Jong earlier this week, he specifically referenced the need for a holding player.

“We are looking for a player who can play in the holding midfield position, but it has to be the right one,” the United manager said. “There are not many in that position capable of the level we demand. When we can’t find him, we have to deal with the players in our squad now, and we will develop one in that position.”

If De Jong does not arrive – and perhaps even if he does – Fred appears likeliest to be developed in the deepest-lying role. It is not one that he has always looked especially comfortable with in the past, making rash decisions at times and failing to adequately cover an over-exposed defence.

Fred was one of the few United players to emerge from last season with any credit for his performances but even then, he played in a midfield pair with Scott McTominay rather than as a lone holding player.

Ten Hag has trusted him at the base of the midfield during this pre-season, though, and is happy with what he has seen so far.

“At the moment, he is playing in the role of connector, defending to offence,” he said of Fred on Friday. “I think is playing the role quite well. I'm satisfied with this performance, with his improvement until now. I think he can even be better and I will support him with that, and he brings energy to the team by his attitude.”

Anthony Martial has found form during pre-season (Getty)

Martial leading the line?

If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had got his way, United would have started the 2020-21 campaign with a first-choice front three of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho. Two years later, that vision has finally come to fruition. It does not look too bad, either.

Eight of the 13 goals scored in United’s four tour friendlies came from one of either Rashford, Sancho or Martial. Martial, in particular, has gone at least some way to restoring his reputation after several months spent on the fringes in the first half of last season was followed by a miserable loan spell at Sevilla.

A front three that seemed unlikely only a few weeks ago could now start on the opening weekend. “It can be,” Ten Hag said, when that proposition was put to him. “You see they connect really good together and I think that is when you see that you are lucky as a manager.

“The team is lucky we have a threat, we have weapons, we have to improve that every day and to develop it further.”

The elephant in the room is Cristiano Ronaldo, who would ideally leave United this summer and join a club capable of competing for major honours. With few escape routes open to him, there is every chance he does not get his wish.

While it is hard to imagine the five-time Ballon d’Or winner settling for anything less than a starting place, it is also difficult to see how his pared back style of centre-forward play fits into the dynamic attack seen on the pre-season tour.

Ten Hag is yet to work with Ronaldo, having not trained or travelled due to what United have accepted is a ‘family issue’, and his manager conceded that Ronaldo will need time to adjust to his methods. “I focus on the players who are there, they are doing really well, they are in good shape, I prefer to focus on that and develop that. I cannot wait for him to come in, then we will integrate him.”