Even though he still feels bad about Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, Matthijs de Ligt thinks he is finally finding “rhythm” at Manchester United.

Following Sunday’s 3-0 victory against Leicester, the Dutch defender admitted that he felt “the most bad” to see his mentor fired. De Ligt was one of Ten Hag’s last acquisitions as United’s manager.

“When a manager is fired, it’s always pretty tough,” he remarked.I genuinely enjoy Erik as a person and a human being, and we have a great relationship. I felt the most sorry for him because I know how hard it is for him to motivate the team to perform each day.

“After all, you understand what football is all about; if the results are lacking, everyone must be questioned, including the manager and the players.”I feel terrible for the manager because, in the end, he gets fired but the players are allowed to stay, so we always have to look inward. Ultimately, you must move forward; you cannot dwell on the past; your relationship with him is over.

Despite his ups and downs since joining United, De Ligt’s developing relationship with Lisandro Martinez is gradually paying off.

“I feel pretty good myself,” he continued. “I think I’ve been feeling really into my rhythm and important for the team for the last seven games, and when you combine that with wins, it’s really nice.”

The idea of playing a back three, which seems to be the mission of new manager Ruben Amorim, who arrived in Manchester on Monday before starting work, may put De Ligt in a better position than most in the dressing room.

“I’ve played for the national team in the back three, but I’ve also played for Juventus and Bayern,” De Ligt stated.

“We played in possession with a back three today, so let’s see what happens in the end.”

What are the primary distinctions for players, then?

He said, “I believe a back three or a back four is generally the same; the only thing that matters is how the team is set up.”

“You can play in a back three, but it will be very challenging if everyone is not compact and doing their own job.” This is also true for a back four.Getting everyone on the same page and on the same page to progress as players and as a team will be the [new] coaches’ biggest challenge.

In his final press conference with Sporting, Amorim said that if the players at United are unwilling to commit to the system he wants, he will have to be prepared to change.

De Ligt doesn’t think there will be as many problems as some people think.

“I believe the team can do anything, back three, back four,” he remarked.”The way you play together and how you set up together is what matters most. For instance, today we play as a back four but in possession we play as a back three. You have to get used to each other, and it’s always simpler if you play together.

The most crucial thing is that we won today, which is a huge win ahead of the national break. Hopefully, we can maintain this momentum.

“We must win every game, or at least aim to win every one.” We are currently four points below the Champions League [positions], in my opinion, but it is crucial to play each Premier League game as it is unique.

“Every team will lose.”