How Erik ten Hag impressed Manchester United players during pre-season tour

For two weeks it had been almost note-perfect for Manchester United, but as thoughts started to turn to home and escaping the torrential rain and howling wind of Western Australia, they stumbled.

Across three cities and four games on the other side of the world, United have taken impressive strides under Erik ten Hag. But the final kick of their tour ended up in the back of their own net and a perfect record was dismantled.

Aston Villa celebrated their dramatic equaliser but United's players were fuming. Within three hours it would be wheels up on the way back to Manchester — via a refuelling stop in Bangkok — but dreams of home weren't enough to ease the anger of conceding a soft goal.

READ MORE: Dalot makes admission on Ten Hag style at United

Plastic chairs had been laid out on the side of the Optus Stadium pitch for the substitutes and, as he walked off, Eric Bailly booted one of them. Most United players milled around on the pitch to thank the 58,000 fans in attendance, but David de Gea stormed straight down the tunnel.

The Spaniard has had a good tour with his feet, but has made mistakes leading to goals against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. He walked to the team coach half an hour later and still had a face as thundery as the Perth weather on Saturday.

Ten Hag came out to speak to the media in a congested mixed zone, with the rain still swirling down outside the tunnel, and he struck the right notes again. He told the players in the dressing room that this was a reality check and branded the concession of two second-half goals "unacceptable".

But he also talked about the progress he's seen on tour and the final act can't take away from what came before it. Ten Hag and the players are happy with how this trip