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Erik ten Hag’s handling of player injuries at Manchester United has the potential to give the Red Devils a clever advantage over their Premier League rivals. Ten Hag has made no secret of his desire to bring about major changes at United, who have lacked a winning culture in the dressing room since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2012.
The Dutchman’s cunning plan to deal with first-team injuries has been clear to see throughout his time in charge, with Ten Hag always eager to keep details under wraps. He rarely divulges much about injuries in his press conferences, usually staying quiet about the type of problem and the length of time players are expected to be out for.
This approach is because Ten Hag considers the injuries to be medically confidential, according to The Athletic, with only the player affected having the freedom to reveal a diagnosis. The United boss is also keen to prevent information from falling into the hands of opponents in a bid to maintain some mystery and avoid players being targeted during matches.
The report adds that United refused to confirm the details of Scott McTominay’s ankle injury towards the end of last season because they did not want opposing players to kick it upon his return. Ten Hag’s confidentiality is being tested more than he would like at the moment, though, with the Red Devils currently experiencing a mini injury crisis.
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United’s treatment table is the busiest in the Premier League as things stand, with no less than nine players sidelined with various problems. Mason Mount and Raphael Varane have already returned to action but the likes of Luke Shaw, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are yet to get back to match fitness.
Ten Hag recently commented on the worsening situation at Old Trafford by insisting that although injuries are simply part and parcel of the sport, the current number of absentees at United is much higher than hoped.
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“One thing is true, from the start of last season I almost never started with the best starting XI, it was always something like an injury,” said Ten Hag before United’s defeat to Bayern Munich last Wednesday. “It’s a concern but that’s why we constructed the squad with depth, so we can deal with it.
“Injuries always come in top football because we’re living on the edge and injuries are coming up. We analyse why things happen but we also have to deal with the facts and it’s always about the players available.”
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