Erik: Youngsters have real chance to break through

Erik ten Hag has urged Manchester United’s youngsters to snatch the opportunities on offer to them in the final days of pre-season.

The Reds meet Liverpool in South Carolina this weekend, in our final assignment of Tour 2024, presented by Snapdragon, and with little over a week to go until the Community Shield against Manchester City, Erik implied that some of our Academy hopefuls have a big chance to edge their way into consideration.

Ten Hag caught up with former Red Danny Webber at our training base in Los Angeles shortly before the team departed for the east coast, and explained that the frenetic nature of the current football calendar gives young players an enticing window in which they can showcase their skills.

Harry Amass and Toby Collyer have both started recent Tour 2024 matches, leading some within the media to speculate whether they might earn competitive minutes in the next few months.

Ten Hag told Webber that the progress of all our Academy players depends on mature decision-making, both on and off the field.

The schedule, the FIFA calendar, is so complicated and seasons go over one another,” began the boss. “That gives a great opportunity for young players to show themselves.

“And what I want to see from young players, of course, that should be normal. That should be the foundation that you have; the energy, that you have the right focus, that you have the right spirit.

“But also what I want to see here, [is] that they use their brains, because that is necessary to enter the pitch at Old Trafford, to enter the Premier League, to enter the Champions League and to match the standard, to get into the right levels.”

Asked to be more specific about the use of the brain, Ten Hag elaborated, suggesting that it was about learning quickly from any mistakes.

“Football is a very complicated sport,” noted the manager. “Top football is even more [complicated] and, nowadays, football players, they have such high requirements on their brains.

“In the game, decision-making, mentally, [in terms of] lifestyle… It’s so complicated. You have to bring your brain skills in, to be acting on the top level.”

WATCH THE LIVERPOOL GAME LIVE

MUTV subscribers can watch our final game of Tour 2024 live, with full access to all the pre-match build-up and post-match reaction. On-demand highlights, meanwhile, will be available shortly after the full-time whistle.

Our broadcast coverage starts at 23:45 BST on Saturday night, an hour before kick-off (00:45 BST on Sunday), and the contest will be replayed in full at 04:00 BST, 08:30 BST, 13:00 BST and 20:00 BST throughout Sunday.