Ten Hag speaks to Cristiano Ronaldo and Maguire to address Man Utd "issue"

Erik ten Hag has told Manchester United's players they should be "angry" with themselves for their shocking start to the season.

United's under-pressure boss has also ordered his senior players to start showing leadership to help haul the club out of its current crisis. Ten Hag has spoken to a core of players - including Cristiano Ronaldo, skipper Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes - and demanded they step up.

United are bottom of the league after defeats in Ten Hag's first two games and face a huge test against arch rivals Liverpool tonight at Old Trafford. Ten Hag has been dismayed with the lack of leadership shown by his established players and told them they must deliver - starting on Monday night.

He said: "When the attitude is not good from the team, often the leaders are not there because they are the ones who give the example and go in front. That is a point we have to work on. I always work with a group of leaders, not one in particular. I spoke with the leaders about this issue.

"It doesn't have to be senior players but we have a core group who have to be the example and take the responsibility. This is also a process. We work with that, we started a couple of weeks ago and they have to grow."

Ten Hag tore into his squad after their humiliating 4-0 defeat at Brentford and hauled them in for training the following day as punishment. Asked if some players were angry at having their day off cancelled, Ten Hag said: "I hope they are angry, but angry with themselves, angry with each other that they didn't take responsibility.

"It's not acceptable when you can't deliver for yourself, for the team, for Manchester United and for all the fans of United. That is not the standard for United and actually it's not my standard. We have to change that. We don't accept this."

Striker Marcus Rashford called on United's fans to get behind the team tonight and help them kick start their season with a win. Rashford said: ''It's always a difficult game physically and mentally, so we'll definitely need them. They'll be up for the game - they'll want to beat Liverpool just as much as we do.''

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Ten Hag has taken a hard line with his United players after their two defeats, hauling them in for training the day after the Brentford debacle and warning them he has no time for their lame excuses. He explained: "I'm not interested in the reason why - they just have to deliver. That's my obligation and theirs. We are in a process. Sometimes you have a drop and you tell them, you face them, and say 'that's unacceptable'.

"I think every manager will demand it from his players and it's normal. It's your obligation to the club to fight and give 100 percent. In every process, this element is coming up. One of the points as a manager is that you have to work on the attitude and mentality of the players. That's what I'm doing. This is the first time since June 27 that I wasn't happy and not satisfied and I told them. You have to bring at least the same as the opponent but, when I say at least, we have to do more than the opponent, in and out of possession."

New arrival Casmerio, signed from Real Madrid for £68million, will undoubtedly improve United, but the team are already playing catch-up, with Ten Hag bemoaning such a poor start to the season. "We had a good basic pre-season," said Ten Hag.

"Then Anthony Martial was injured, Ronaldo wasn't fit, the six holding midfield position was not there. In the first game we had two centre-halves who have not played together and also the goalie was not the best period. So there's a clear reason why, but I know we will fix that and also that the results will be better. That showed already in pre-season. Pre-season we did quite well, but the first two league games were not good enough, that's clear."