Erik ten Hag has a new tactical focus after the international break, says Jonny Evans

Jonny Evans explained that Erik ten Hag has returned to Manchester United with a new tactical focus following the international break.

Manchester United are ready to resume Premier League action after the international break, with Erik ten Hag evaluating his squad ahead of a must-win game against Brentford.

The 2024/25 season has been tough so far. United are sitting in 14th place and struggling in Europe, having drawn both of their opening Europa League fixtures.

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This poor run of form has intensified speculation over Ten Hag’s future, with many expecting the club to part ways with the Dutchman last week.

However, a draw against Aston Villa appears to have bought him some time, with the club’s leadership deciding not to act for now. He has returned to Carrington and has been implementing new ideas into his squad.

A new tactical shift

Speaking with Sky Sports ahead of the game against Brentford, United defender Jonny Evans has revealed that, since returning from the international break, Ten Hag has been focusing on his squad’s attacking side.

When asked about the side’s current underperformance in terms of expected goals, Evans explained that Ten Hag addressed this during his recent training sessions and that fans will hopefully see a change.

“You’d hope that you score more goals and the results will get better,” the 36-year-old defender explained.

“The defensive side of it has improved, and it’s been good. So I think it’s something that the manager has addressed and after coming back in after the international break, something that we want to look at, and it’s not always just up to the forward players.

“I think we’re getting into good positions. Our final ball needs to be better and once you get one or two goals and you start gaining that confidence in games, you can be a bit more patient around the opposition box and picking the right path and taking care.”

A psychological problem?

Further, Evans was questioned on whether he feels the squad’s incapability to finish is due to a psychological issue, which he denied.

“I don’t feel that,” Evans replied when asked if the problem was more psychological than physical. “I don’t feel that there’s an issue within the squad.

“It’s an easy sort of thing to look at, I suppose, when results aren’t going our way – can they handle pressure? I don’t know. It’s not something that you can measure, I suppose. But I don’t get that sort of feeling within the squad either.”

United are set to face Brentford at 3 pm BST at Old Trafford, and nothing less than a win will be viewed as acceptable as pressure continues to mount on Ten Hag and his team.

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