Manchester United aim to move past last season’s 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, with manager Erik ten Hag expressing optimism about the improved squad depth this season. After suffering a disappointing 3-0 loss to Liverpool at home earlier this month, United rebounded by defeating Southampton 3-0 in the league and then overwhelming Barnsley with a 7-0 victory in the League Cup. They are preparing for a Premier League match at Selhurst Park this Saturday.
Last season was challenging for Ten Hag due to injuries that impacted both the attacking and defensive options. However, this season, United has enhanced their roster with new acquisitions such as defender Matthijs de Ligt, midfielder Manuel Ugarte, and forward Joshua Zirkzee.
“The 4-0 defeat in May was completely justified, but Saturday will be a different story. I don’t make comparisons, but from February on, we were always searching for 11 players to form a team. Now, we have 18 players and can comfortably assemble a team,” Ten Hag remarked to the media on Thursday.
Although Victor Lindelof, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro are still recovering from injuries, the squad has welcomed back midfielder Mason Mount and striker Rasmus Hojlund.
“We have a lot of games coming up, so having them back is great news,” the Dutch manager added. “They are back in training, and we will decide whether they are fit enough to start tomorrow. It’s encouraging to have them back in the team.”
Ten Hag noted the importance of managing player load effectively, especially given the struggles of last season when players were overextended. The manager hopes to reintegrate Mount and Hojlund carefully into the lineup.
Meanwhile, Oliver Glasner’s team has struggled at the start of the season, accumulating two losses and two draws. However, they found some positivity in their recent 2-1 victory in the League Cup against Queens Park Rangers, with goals from Eberechi Eze and new signing Eddie Nketiah.
Following their matchup against Palace, United will host Dutch side Twente in the Europa League on Wednesday.