Erik ten Hag urges Man Utd to take out their anger on Porto after Tottenham loss

Erik ten Hag said he and his Manchester United players are “mad” over their current crisis and has called on them to take it out on Porto.

Ten Hag's job is on the line after United's joint-worst start to a Premier League season, with three defeats from six games leaving them in 13th spot. United were hammered 3-0 at home by Tottenham last Sunday and also made a poor start to their Europa League campaign, drawing 1-1 with FC Twente at Old Trafford, meaning they need a result tonight.

Fog in Porto meant Ten Hag and his squad landed more than two hours after their scheduled arrival, with the United boss admitting they are ready to take their anger out on their Portuguese opponents.

“As always, when we're not winning, we're very disappointed and we're also mad,” said Ten Hag. “We're mad with ourselves, especially when you lose a game like we did on Sunday.

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“Also, when you have to play for such a long time with 10 players and after the red card is overturned that gives frustration, because to play for such a long time with 10 men is never of course to your advantage and had a real impact on the game, but you have to deal with it.

“So we're mad and from the madness we have to get motivation to go into the next game.” United are without Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia for tonight's tie.

But Ten Hag said he hopes Shaw – who has not played for United since February – will return after the international break. “On the left-backs, they are improving, and we hope Luke Shaw can return after the international break quickly,” said Ten Hag.

“I don't know if it's the first game, we're hoping for [it], but I can't, in this moment, tell this with 100 per cent security. But, yeah, from now on, we have two-and-a-half weeks to work to that point. And, shortly after, he'll be there. Tyrell is making good progress on the pitch but has to make the step to full team training.”

Asked why United remain in transition, despite him starting his third season in charge, Ten Hag said: “The first season when I came in, we had to replace six or seven older players, like Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard, so we started a process, but also this summer we still had to replace some other players.

“We replaced them with many young players, like Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro. They need time to get used to the standards of the Premier League and the standards of a club like United. We have to fit them into our game model and into the standards of the league they are playing in.”

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