Erik ten Hag issues warning to Manchester United players ahead of likely squad clearout

Erik ten Hag has warned Manchester United players they are "in the wrong place" if they lack the requisite hunger at the club.

United have won four of their seven matches since they ended a trophy drought that had strayed close to six years with the League Cup, in February, however they were annihilated 7-0 by Liverpool last month and their performance in the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday was widely considered to be worse.

Although United have made progressive strides this term under Ten Hag, they have suffered some stark setbacks, including the 4-0 hammering at Brentford in August and a 6-3 thrashing by Manchester City in October.

Also read: Ten Hag pushing for United to be more ruthless in summer transfer window

United left-back Luke Shaw admitted following the Newcastle reverse that "levels had dropped" before the March internationals and the club are planning for more outgoings than incomings in the summer transfer window.

When asked if some United players will never show enough passion and hunger, Ten Hag replied: "When they can’t get this, then they are in the wrong place.

"I agree, we return to old [bad] habits but also that I know there are fluctuations, and because persons are not robots. But we have to act as robots, we have to act as machines, we have to expect and can expect the demand of our players that they match the standards. So when we are not doing (well) we are disappointed because that is our job.

"So Sunday we return to bad habits and you get hammered and they know this, the players know this. So they talked with each other about it because they are aware this is not the standard for a Manchester United team.

"We have shown in so many games we did [act like a machine]. It was tough; very