Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Erik ten Hag comes out swinging as Man Utd boss accused of making players train too hard
Erik ten Hag has hit back at rising criticism of his role in Man Utd's injury crisis.
Ten Hag gives Man Utd team news update ahead of Chelsea clash
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has hit back at suggestions that he is training his squad too hard after suffering the latest blows in an injury-hit season. The Dutchman insists he needs physical players to adhere to the demands of Premier League football but has squashed concerns over the intensity of his sessions.
On Tuesday, United confirmed that Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof would miss around a month with muscular injuries.
The defensive duo join Altay Bayindir, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Anthony Martial on Ten Hag's injury list, which has been longer for most of the campaign.
Martinez and Lindelof will be the 52nd and 53rd cases of a player missing a game through injury or illness when United visit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
Ten Hag's relentless availability problems have undoubtedly contributed to his disappointing second season in the Old Trafford dugout.
However, frustrated supporters are starting to believe that United's poor injury fortunes aren't merely a coincidence amid reports that some of the dressing have concerns about their workload between matches.
Those fears have been disputed by Ten Hag, though, who stressed that he understood the level of training his players require in the Premier League environment.
Stay up-to-date with the latest Man Utd news
Join us on WhatsAppOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
"No, we don't train too hard. We need to be fit. With the standards in this league, you need to be fit, otherwise, you can't match the standards required of you in a game," Ten Hag explained on Wednesday.
"We don't train too hard. We have good departments, we have good people around with a lot of knowledge. Based on data, we make our decisions.
"You need very robust players. That is the requirement when you go into Christmas with many injuries, and then you have to bring them back.
"But when they are free from injury, they are not match-fit. They're not straight back into the form. That also needs a couple of games before you get back into the rhythm."
Don't miss...
Mason Mount shows true colours as 'requests' to Erik ten Hag come to light [REPORT]
Man Utd 'will complete transfer' as Sir Jim Ratcliffe puts contacts to good use [TRANSFERS]
Man Utd social media post 'wasn't a coincidence' after cruel jokes 'hurt' Mount [NEWS]
United captain Bruno Fernandes is one of a few players to have not missed a game through injury this season. Ten Hag praised the Portuguese maestro, and he believes more in his squad are just as robust.
The 54-year-old aimed the blame for his injury crisis at the congested fixture schedule that has sparked similar frustrations at almost every other Premier League club.
He added: "I know that it still has an effect, the huge amount of games we had in the last 18 months. That still has an impact on our squad, the accumulation on the players.
"The players get overloaded and can't bring the performances anymore. We're already over the point where we demand what we want from our top players."