December 3rd 2023.
Erik ten Hag has opened up about his decision to confront Anthony Martial during Manchester United's loss to Newcastle United. The Frenchman was replaced by Rasmus Hojlund in the second half of the match, after a poor performance that has been emblematic of his season so far.
Ten Hag was seen screaming at Martial during the game, with the player arguing back. In his post-match press conference, the Dutchman clarified his motivation for the outburst, stating that it was about the team, not the individual.
"It's about the team. I tried to energise the team, to get a reaction from the team. In this moment, we had a tough period. When you are coaching you are a little bit more aggressive and that is normal."
It was the second consecutive poor showing from Martial, who was also criticised by Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel after the 3-3 draw against Galatasaray. Schmeichel claimed that the pressure from the front line disappeared when Hojlund came on, giving the opposition more opportunities to pass the ball around.
Ten Hag has since stated that he will be speaking to Martial about the incident, while Harry Maguire has defended his teammate, affirming that he is working hard. It remains to be seen if Ten Hag can help Martial get back to his best, but one thing is certain: the Frenchman's future performance will be under the microscope.
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