MDP Live - Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick says his players often don't put in the physical effort required to become a top team in the Premier League.
The United interim manager delivered a painful assessment based on evidence from the previous nine games. This was also conveyed by Rangnick ahead of the FA Cup third round match against Aston Villa, Tuesday morning (10/2/2021).
Rangnick not only believes that United's players need to step up their game to catch up to players like Manchester City, but he also feels there are many teams below them who are making bigger changes.
"This is the only way we can compete in this league and at that level," said Rangnick, who wants his players to work harder on possession.
"Every time you watch a game, even if it's not a top team, they play with intensity, they play with physicality, they play with energy and they run. This is what we have to do. We have to develop into a team like this," said the manager. this MU.
"I said after the first game against Crystal Palace, we showed at least in the first half a lot of things and it's about implementing this into the team on an ongoing basis," he said.
"This is our job and we have to do it together with the players and we have, obviously, to develop the players, identify for every game, the players who are willing and able to do that and give it."
Rangnick insists United's players have the ability to apply a high pressing style. And, this message will be conveyed again in the team meeting.
“The team was able to dominate the game, win the game. Those two games against Burnley and Palace are what happened and this is what we have to achieve in the next few weeks to help the team develop into a dominating side.
"This can only be done in ownership and outside of ownership they do something together," he said
Rangnick is struggling to put together a dressing room which he admits contains a number of players who are unhappy with their current playing situation
Others are looking for a way out of the club either in January or in the summer.
But he got a boost after Edinson Cavani made it clear he had no intention of moving before his contract expired in the summer.
"Edi told me that I can count on him to stay until the end of the season and give my best and be a role model for the young players," Rangnick said.
"If he plays from the start, he is available and he is happy to play. But even if he doesn't play, he will try to be the best role model for other players."
