Erik ten Hag has cautioned his Manchester United players to maintain composure and avoid any mischief at Wednesday night’s match at Rams Stadium.
With their Champions League aspirations on the brink of collapse, United will take on Galatasaray in one of the most intense stadium atmospheres in football.
With losses of 4-3 against FC Copenhagen and 3-2 at Old Trafford to the Turks, Ten Hag’s squad has struggled to handle pressure in Group A this season.
Going into United’s next trip to Istanbul, where they have gone scoreless in their last three matches against Galatasaray, this does not bode well.
The key, according to Ten Hag, is for United to maintain their cool when confronted with provocation from the home team and tremendous fan animosity.
The United manager emphasized the need of maintaining composure and avoiding emotional outbursts. Feelings must be reined in; provide them nothing. Make sure the referee doesn’t get a chance to think.
As a result, you should avoid those kinds of situations. You need to put your best foot forward. How the other team plays makes less of a difference than our own performance.Even though we were away from home, we played calmly and composedly through some extremely hоstile games. The history of Manchester United is remarkable. It is imperative that we take the lead.
With ticket prices seven times the face value, the Rams Stadium will be filled to capacity with 52,000 fans. United will see a hоstile crowd at Goodison Park and Newcastle this weekend, but Galatasaray are a whole other beast.
“I think when you are a kid you want to play in these kind of atmospheres,” skipper Bruno Fernandes remarked. You are aware that Galatasaray away will have a fantastic, unforgettable ambiance. Playing these games is a blast for me. Even if it will work against you, I can’t imagine how much more motivating it is to play in front of an enthusiastic crowd like that.
Following the youth’s impressive Premier League debut for Everton, fans wаnted to know if Ten Hag would rιsk starting Kobbie Mainoo in such an intimidating environment.
Not at all; he assured them that they were safe. A player’s age is not a factor in their ability.
Following Antony’s inclusion in the traveling squad and Rasmus Hojlund’s comeback from ιnjury, the other crucial selection decision is whether to start Hojlund. Coming into this round of games, Hojlund is tied for first place in the competition in terms of goals scored, but Anthony Martial scored against Everton and earned a penalty.
Though a draw would advance the match to the final against Bayern in the event that the Germans defeat Copenhagen tonight, United’s chances of advancing to the knockout stage are slim. “We feel like we need to win both games if we want to have any chance of advancing,” Fernandes continued. We aspire to be among Europe’s elite clubs. If we are unable to proceed, it will be disheartening.
Turkey has a better chance of success in the here and now. Veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera sat with coach Okan Buruk at their press conference. Muslera was a member of the legendary Galatasaray victory eleven years ago, while Buruk was the head coach of Istanbul Basaksehir when they shocked United in this very stadium in November 2020. When his interrogator asked whether the environment might play a deciding role, Galatasaray’s captain grinned. “This is your first time here?” “Enjoy it!”