Until Erik ten Hag set foot inside Old Trafford last summer, the only throats Manchester United’s players were likely to grab would have been each other’s.
There is little doubt Ten Hag walked into a toxic dressing room. Stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba had been calling their own shots, some players were seething over their lack of playing time, and others were plotting their departures. It was the polar opposite of what the new manager would have wanted, and Ten Hag set about putting it right.
Arguably his greatest success so far has been to transform a bunch of self-centred and rather disillusioned individuals into a cohesive squad ready to fight for their club and each other.
Getting rid of a few bad apples and sticking to what has been described as a ‘no d***heads’ policy when signing new players has helped. But it still requires a strong manager and Ten Hag has certainly been that. A strict ethos has been put in place and this is now a group that mirrors the man in charge.
In an interview with The Times on Saturday, United midfielder Fred revealed one of three rules Ten Hag has written on the dressing-room wall: ‘Always do what you can to help your partner.’
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro was sent off for grabbing Will Hughes by the neck
The Brazilian lost his temper and grabbed Hughes during the incident that was spotted by VAR
Just a few hours later, his players followed it to the letter as they piled in to back up Antony after he was barged off the pitch at Old Trafford by Crystal Palace’s Jeffrey Schlupp. Casemiro and Fred led the support for their Brazilian compatriot, but every player dived into the ruck with the exception of goalkeeper David de Gea.
No manager can be seen to condone a 20-man melee like that. But while Casemiro’s red card and three-match ban for grabbing Will Hughes by the throat has presented Ten Hag with a problem, he was pleased to see his players fighting for each other.
‘Yes, we had some warnings about our team reacting like this, but you have to do it,’ he said. ‘You have to protect each other. We can’t cross lines but we have to stick together and stand up for each other.’
It threatened to derail what seemed like a routine win for United after they had taken a two-goal lead through an early penalty from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford’s 11th goal in 13 games.
Schlupp pulled one back but Ten Hag’s side continued to stand strong, with Lisandro Martinez a colossus in defence, as they closed out a 13th straight home win in all competitions. The mood around Old Trafford at the end felt gladiatorial.
De Gea said: ‘We fight and it feels great to have won the game like we did. I’ve been in very tough moments for this club, now I’m enjoying it more. The spirit is great, the atmosphere is great.’
United will need all that fight in their two games this week, home and away against old rivals Leeds, and even more so because Casemiro will be missing.
Referee Andre Marriner was called to the monitor to decide whether there should be a red
He couldn’t hide his disappointment and frustration after he was sent off by Marriner
The Brazilian will miss three Premier League games but not the Carabao Cup final
Ten Hag felt with some justification that Jordan Ayew should also have seen red for trying to throttle Fred at the same time Casemiro had hold of Hughes.
The sense of injustice was exacerbated by the fact that Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta got away with an elbow on Martinez when the two clubs met at Selhurst Park last month, and VAR also decided not to intervene when Andy Carroll’s challenge put Christian Eriksen out of action until early May during United’s FA Cup win over Reading.
But Casemiro’s fate was sealed from the moment referee Andre Marriner was advised to view the pitchside monitor, and his absence will be keenly felt. Since making his full debut against Real Sociedad in September, the 30-year-old has only been missing from the starting line-up in the Premier League on two occasions and those games ended with United losing 6-3 at Manchester City and 3-2 at Arsenal. This is good news for Leeds.
With Eriksen, Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek also sidelined, Ten Hag must decide who to play alongside Fred.
Marcel Sabitzer, the loan signing from Bayern Munich, seems favourite after making his debut off the bench against Palace.
Prior to that, however, Sabitzer had only played one minute of competitive football since November due to Austria missing the World Cup and the extended winter break in Germany.
Martinez played in midfield for Ten Hag at Ajax and is another option, but the manager may be reluctant to break up his central defensive partnership with Raphael Varane.
It is not ideal. Whatever team Ten Hag sends out, though, at least he knows they will be up for the fight.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was pleased to see his side emerge victorious
More Stories
Furious Lions star Dayne Zorko claims AFL has legalised attacks on players’ genitals after rival who left him with ‘bruised’ groin got off with just a fine
Manchester United 2-3 Borussia Dortmund: Errors in defence lead Ten Hag’s men to defeat in Las Vegas
LeBron James ‘kept telling diners how grateful he was’ to be at dinner with son Bronny, 18, just four days after his cardiac arrest in basketball practice