“We have enough players to lead the team”: Ten Hag on team leadership

The streak of misfortune continues to haunt Manchester United. In the midweek Champions League match against Copenhagen, the club suffered a devastating defeat. This marks the third loss in four matches in this season's premier European club competition.

Despite the "Red Devils" holding a two-goal lead, following Marcus Rashford's expulsion at the end of the first half, the club conceded four goals.

Doubts about the team's resilience have arisen. Yet, even in the absence of key figures on the field, such as Casemiro and Luke Shaw, ten Hag believes that other players possess qualities that can help United navigate the current situation.

Addressing a question during Friday's press conference about where leadership will come from, ten Hag expressed that other players can assume the role of a leader.

"We have individuals capable of doing so. I would highlight Andre Onana, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay. It's in such moments that leadership must shine. Bruno Fernandes, of course. We have enough players with character and individuality to step forward in these situations and lead the team."

Following four matches in the Champions League, Manchester United sits at the bottom of their group. The team faced defeats at the outset against Bayern Munich (3-4), Galatasaray (2-3), and now Copenhagen (3-4). The sole match where the team managed to secure points was in the previous round against the Danish side, claiming a narrow victory (1-0) at home.