Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag is anticipating changes in Leeds' style of play when they visit Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Ahead of the consecutive games against the Yorkshire club, the Whites have sacked manager Jesse Marsch after the club announced that he has been relieved of his duties at Elland Road while Michael Skubala, Paco Gallardo, and Chris Armas were announced to manage the game against Manchester United from the dugout.
“It's always sad if a manager is a colleague and gets sacked; in general, I don't believe that if you sack a manager, you get better results,” Erik Ten Hag reflected on Jesse Marsch's sack.
“Most of the time, it doesn't work." Let managers do their work, finish their work, and then make a good evaluation. Obviously, the pressure is high on the decision-makers in football clubs, and they turn. "But if you see the facts, you see the stats, most of the time it doesn't work out well.”
Fans are already worried about 'new manager Bounce' syndrome ahead of the match with Leeds United. The Red Devils have faced such a challenge this season after Aston Villa named Emery Unai as their new manager ahead of their game against Manchester United last November. Erik Ten Hag's side were beaten 3-1 during Emery Unai's first game as manager.
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal also experienced such when they played Everton at Goodison Park last weekend. Following Frank Lampard's sack Sean Dyche was appointed as manager and Arsenal recorded their second loss of the season at Sean Dyche's first game in charge.
The Manchester United's manager has however stated his side will not let such an incidence recur when they play Leeds United.
"Definitely, and you don't know." We have to be aware of that. "When Jesse was at Leeds, it was clear how they played—their way of playing, their system, their style," Ten Hag stated.
“Now, it's possible they change, but it's also possible they don't change." "We will find out on the pitch tomorrow, and then we need good anticipation on that if they change, and if not, we know what to do."
"Bad anticipation, for instance, against Villa, the difference for them when Emery came in is they had a week to prepare and now they [Leeds] don't have so much time to prepare," Ten Hag explained.
“We will see, but we need good anticipation and to be proactive.”
The manager has also indicated how important the two games against Leeds United are. The two clubs are known for their historical rivalry, which dates back to the 1980s and 1990s, but Leeds United have fallen down the rankings as a big team over the years. However, it doesn't affect the two clubs' historical rivalry.
"It's about the match of the roses,” Erik Ten Hag told the club's media. “It's definitely a big game in this part of England, and it's a big game for us." We know we have Manchester City and we have Liverpool, but for our fans, this game means so much. "Our players are aware of that, and they know what to do.”
The manager is also delighted with the Red Devils' home form this season. His side have recorded 13 straight home wins this campaign to match Sir Alex Ferguson's record. While winning another on Wednesday night at Old Trafford will extend the record to 14, Erik Ten Hag is hoping to replicate the home form at away games as well.
"It was one of our aims this season to get that back." It was a part of the process to restore Man United to the club we were once. But it's a part of it," he told the press.
"Home is good, but I think we have good results away, too, but in away games, we can show even more personality and play more convincingly." So, that's the next step we have to make to have the same team on the pitch with personality as we do at home."
He added, "Obviously, I'm really happy with the process we've shown at home; it's great to have that connection with Old Trafford, but also, I think we have to be aware that when we play away, we always have a lot of fans following us, and we can do the same away because the pitches are the same size, it's 11 v 11, nothing changes."
"So, in that fact, we can grow; we still have steps to make, and we are happy with that as well because it is a good challenge."
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