Erik ten Hag warns Manchester United players ahead of Everton fixture

Erik ten Hag has said Everton will be difficult opponents for Manchester United because they're fighting for league survival.

Although Everton have never been relegated from the Premier League, their top-flight status has been threatened over the last few seasons and Sean Dyche has replaced Frank Lampard at the helm in an attempt to steer them to safety.

The Toffees do not have a strong record at Old Trafford, but Dyche's side earned a point against Tottenham earlier in the week and they are expected to be well-organised and difficult to break down when taking on United this weekend.

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Ten Hag, speaking to club media ahead of the game, has warned his players about the challenge they will pose.

"Very difficult [playing a side fighting for survival]. You see that approach and it is normal, as at the end of the season in the table, everything is really close together so there is a really big competition in all facets on top and at the bottom," Ten Hag said.

"So you have to be ready for every game. You need energy, you need focus, you need the team performance and therefore you need a good team spirit, therefore when you don't have it, you get killed and we have to be aware of it.

"We have to be proactive, make the game, dominate the game and then win the game. They haven't made so many changes in the winter, but they have changed their manager. That makes it a different approach because this manager I think he is putting focus on different elements of football and you can see that this is a really fit team, Everton.

"It is a mentally strong team and they have a good togetherness, which makes them tough to beat, so we have to play our best football. when we