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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag explains plans for friendly with Wrexham

sportsmole.co.uk, 25 July 2023, 18:46
Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has confirmed that he will be in attendance for the pre-season friendly with Wrexham on Tuesday, but the Dutchman will not officially take charge of the team.

The Red Devils have played three times so far this summer, recording wins over Leeds United and Lyon before beginning their pre-season tour of the United States with a 2-0 success over Arsenal.

Man United will now take on Wrexham on Tuesday evening before facing Real Madrid less than 24 hours later, but it will be largely an academy side that tackles the League Two outfit.

Academy coach Travis Binnion will manage the team, but Ten Hag will be in attendance for the contest with the Welsh club, who were promoted from the National League last season.

"We've been planning this over months, so we've known already for a long time how it has to look," Ten Hag told reporters during his pre-match press conference.

"One team will stay behind here, I will stay here as well, but also we bring a coach and a technical director, Darren Fletcher in. We bring some more in, also an analyst, some kit men stay behind to help the team, the Under-21s. Travis is the one who is in charge in the team. I will help him and support him.

"Of course, Under-21s is always a part of the first squad, it's always under my supervision. I don't want to have a red line in our club. That means we want to have the principles and the rules, it has to go down to the bottom, how we want to play.

"We want to educate, to teach players in the United way, so it's easier to flow into the first-team squad. This is why this trip is very useful for us.

"So there will also be a team which will fly out tomorrow afternoon and prepare that game against Real Madrid. Of course I go [to Houston], but after this game has finished, I'll fly over.

"We will get the 21s in but we will strengthen the 21s with some players who are in the tour with the first-team squad.

"It's a very good game because I just mentioned the Academy players, so it's a great experience for them and it will help them and will support them to flow into the first team, so in that respect, it's a huge game.

"So really good opposition. It's in the USA, so they have to travel for it. It's very good for their education. So they have to deal with the pressure.

"The stadium is sold out with a fantastic ambience. The players were really looking forward to it. The game is broadcast, so it's a fantastic experience for the young players and that we can present this to our young players. So I'm really happy that we can do that."

Jonny Evans is among 15 players to have flown over for the contest, with the experienced centre-back, who recently signed a short-term deal at Man United, making the trip alongside the likes of Isak Hansen-Aaron, Joe Hugill, Charlie McNeill, Marc Jurado and Shola Shoretire.

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