Viv Anderson urges Erik ten Hag to use break to figure out best Man Utd side

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag should use the international break to work out his best XI, according to former defender Viv Anderson.

The Red Devils slumped to a 3-0 home defeat against Liverpool last weekend, leaving the Dutchman facing more questions over the direction of his team.

Ten Hag made three changes following the previous last-gasp 2-1 loss at Brighton, with forward Joshua Zirkzee and defender Matthijs de Ligt both handed first starts following big-money summer transfers, while Alejandro Garnacho came in on the wing.

Brazilian midfielder Casemiro was then taken off at the break, having given the ball away in the build-up to both of Liverpool’s first-half goals.

Anderson – who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s first signing when he moved from Arsenal in the summer of 1987- feels once Ten Hag has finally settled on the identity of his team, everyone can then look to move forward.

“At Manchester United, the expectations are paramount,” Anderson told the PA news agency.

“You have to live up to the expectations of all the supporters, everybody connected with the football club – and clearly it has not been good enough. The standard has got to be higher and it has got to be better.

“But it is very difficult for Eric ten Hag at the moment, because most of his players are going to be away on international duty.

“Ideally, you want them there this week to go through the (Liverpool) game, analyse what you think has gone wrong, and try to instil better standards with them.

“I know that he insists on high standards, but clearly at the moment, it’s just not resonating with the players and you need them on board.

“The senior players that lead by example should be stood up and helping these younger players out.

“So when when they all get back together, hopefully he can reiterate what he wants, what he expects, and what the supporters and what the everybody connected to football club expect from being a Manchester United player.”

United also signed Manuel Ugarte from Paris St Germain ahead of the transfer deadline, in a deal which is understood to be for an initial £42million fee, with the Uruguay midfielder set to offer Ten Hag yet another option.

“The club have given him money (to spend), he has got his set of players, but he chops and changes,” said Anderson, who is a long-time supporter of Prostate Cancer UK.

“I still don’t think he knows what his best 11 is – and until you get that, it is very, very difficult get consistent performances.

“He has got to get a team he is happy with and play them, so they get used to playing together, maybe making mistakes together, but getting results together as well.

“It is important too for him to to get his best 11 that he thinks on the football field as many times as he can over the next month or so.”

Anderson, 68, was in Manchester on Wednesday to launch the new Prostate United shirt as part of the charity’s annual fundraising challenge which helps fund lifesaving research to save men’s lives, stopping prostate cancer claim the lives of one man every 45 minutes.

“One in eight men will get prostate cancer, a statistic which shortens to one in four for black men,” Anderson said.

“It is not just if you have any concerns, I would say if you are in your 50s, speak to a GP or get yourself checked, because sometimes you don’t get the symptoms.”

:: You can join your club and help save men’s lives this October by running, cycling or walking every day. Sign up for Prostate United 2024 at prostateunited.prostatecanceruk.org or search #ProstateUnited on social media.