They rather sack me…I won’t stop starting him, never”: Erik ten Hag says he’ll never drop the £67m star who the fans sees as the only problem stopping the club’s progress- BOARD also want the player out

Manchester United are set to give Manuel Ugarte his first appearance when they face Southampton on Saturday. This match comes after the Red Devils suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Liverpool, and the team is looking to break a streak of consecutive losses that have plagued the start of their season. Erik ten Hag, under mounting pressure, is expected to make several adjustments to the squad.

United will be heading south to take on Southampton, a team that has also struggled, failing to earn any points in their first three matches. Joshua Zirkzee is expected to start, with Amad set to join the attacking lineup. United’s recent performances have lacked attacking strength, prompting Ten Hag to rethink his forward options.

Midfielder Casemiro, who had a poor performance in the loss against Liverpool, is likely to be dropped from the starting lineup. His mistakes were seen as contributing to two of the three goals conceded. In his place, Manuel Ugarte is anticipated to step into the midfield following his last-minute transfer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Ten Hag, speaking about the pressure on him and his team, commented, “It doesn’t affect me. I understand the process we’re in, what we need to do, and the direction we’re heading. As I’ve said before, we are still in a period of transition. We have a lot of young players that need to be integrated into the squad.”

He also emphasized that it’s too early in the season to draw conclusions, stating, “We’ll see where we stand by May next year. Right now, it’s early, and the focus is on winning trophies and finishing as high as possible in the league. We’re aiming to win every game, and come May, we’ll assess where we are and make judgments accordingly

Manchester United’s upcoming match against Southampton is shaping up to be a crucial one as Erik ten Hag looks to break their streak of poor performances. Following a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Liverpool, Ten Hag is expected to make significant changes to the lineup in hopes of revitalizing the squad. The introduction of Manuel Ugarte into the midfield will likely be one of the key adjustments. Ugarte, who recently joined from PSG, is set to replace Casemiro, whose mistakes in the Liverpool match were costly.

Joshua Zirkzee is expected to start, bolstering an attack that has struggled to find form. With Amad also likely to join the forward line, Ten Hag aims to add more firepower upfront. Despite the difficult start to the season, Ten Hag remains confident in his process, emphasizing that the team is still in a transitional phase. He reiterated that it is too early in the season to make final judgments, with the ultimate goal being to win trophies and finish as high as possible in the league.