Erik ten Hag has told Manchester United squad what he wants from them during international break

Given that the March international break comes at a point in the season when Manchester United are still competing in three competitions, it is certainly not ideal that Erik ten Hag will be without 17 first-team players at Carrington over the next week or so.

The Reds secured a 3-1 victory over Fulham in their FA Cup quarter-final clash on Sunday afternoon, and it was the ideal way for United to bring an end to what has been a relentless period over the last three months. The club will now have the opportunity to take stock and reflect on what has been a successful spell.

Despite this, United, should they reach the final of both the Europa League and FA Cup, will play 19 more games between now and the end of the season. Therefore, being without so many players will come as a blow to Ten Hag, with several members of his squad linking up with their respective nations.

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United have played 25 matches since the season resumed following the World Cup in Qatar - recording 19 wins, four draws and two defeats. That run included a Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle. Now, the Reds will be focused on pulling out all the stops to safely navigate the remaining 12 Premier League matches to seal Champions League football in 2023/24, while also aiming to triumph in Europe and in the final domestic cup competition.

With so much still on the line - and many more games to come - Ten Hag could be forgiven for worrying about the fitness of his players during the international break. However, the Dutchman has instead previously spoken about the benefits of the pause in the domestic calendar.

During his time at Ajax, Ten Hag was asked whether he had