'It will take months, not weeks' - Erik ten Hag makes admission on Manchester United style

Erik ten Hag has warned Manchester United's transition into an intense team will take months rather than weeks.

United beat fellow top six sides Liverpool and Arsenal early in their season but were humbled 6-3 at Manchester City on Sunday and at one stage trailed 6-1.

Paul Scholes criticised United wingers Jadon Sancho and Antony for failing to protect full-backs Diogo Dalot and Tyrell Malacia and doubled down on his criticism, describing Sancho and Antony as "a waste of time".

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The lack of pressing from the United forwards was widely blamed for their surrender at City and Ten Hag stressed United have been guilty of not embracing that style for years.

"It's more, it's physical, it's mental," Ten Hag said. "It's also sustainability, especially. It's like a routine, a way of life and you have to bring it to every training in your system, as a squad and as an individual player.

"And when you had a lack of it in the last years, it's not something that you build or progress in a week or a month, now it's a system that has to be and a demand in nowadays top football.

"And it's quite clear City is the standard in that. There are more teams. But I think also we can deliver that, we have seen it against Liverpool and we have seen it against Arsenal but now we have to do it on a consistent basis, that is what we have to work for now.

"But it will not come overnight, it will also take more than weeks, it will take months."

Ten Hag also lamented the number of bookings United have received in their seven Premier League matches. Diogo Dalot and Scott McTominay have both been yellow-carded four times and are a booking away from suspension while captain Harry Maguire