Ten Hag: Maguire can stop the booing

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says that embattled captain Harry Maguire can stop the fans from booing by playing well.

The 29-year-old Maguire was booed heavily in United's preseason friendly in Melbourne earlier in the week.

“Maguire, we heard but you see, if you perform, it slows down,” ten Hag said of the booing during a victory over Crystal Palace. “I think he, the team, impressed by the way we played. I don’t think it’s the [thing] to find out if I understand it. It’s about how we can change it. So it’s the team and Harry himself by performing. That is what we’re working on, that is the only focus.”

Speaking ahead of a game on Saturday in Perth that will complete the Red Devils' Asia-Australia preseason tour, ten Hag said that adding another striker was critical to the team's plans for the season.

“It’s vital if you want to get success – the season is really long,” he said. “But we also still have time to fill that [in the current transfer window].”

United has been attached to Ajax's Brazil winger Antony, one of ten Hag's former players, as well as Barcelona's Netherlands forward Memphis Depay, who previously had an unremarkable 18-month spell at Old Trafford from 2015 to 2017, in recent days.

While ten Hag insists that wantaway forward Cristiano Ronaldo is still in his plans, when asked if the Portugal captain's absence from preseason training is a concern, he concedes that it isn't ideal.

“Of course,” ten Hag said. “But 'concerning' is maybe not the right word. I focus on the players who are there; they are doing really well, they are in good shape. I prefer to focus on that and develop that. I cannot wait for him to come in. Then we will integrate him.”

Ten Hag also rued the absences of two of the club's