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Rob Dawson, reporter
MANCHESTER, England – Whatever happens to Manchester United between now and the end of the season, coach Erik ten Hag can at least point to the emergence of Rasmus Hoglund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobe Maino as positives from a forgettable campaign.
And it was fitting that the trio, all under the age of 21, were sitting on the advertising boards in front of the Stratford End after Jarnacho scored United's second goal in a 3-0 win over West Ham on Sunday. Ten Hag hopes the image will continue to be shared on social media in 10 years – a first glimpse of the players who will become the core of the next great United team. For now, it will be enough for them to give Ten Hag a rare restful day at Old Trafford.
Hoglund scored for the fourth consecutive Premier League game, on his 21st birthday, and Jarnacho got the other two goals as United cruised to a comfortable win; Their first home league win by more than one goal this season.
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This has been a disastrous campaign at times, and even Ten Hag's positive afternoon came with a downside. It was a big shock too, as defender Lisandro Martinez, who had just returned from a foot injury, was forced off with a worrying knee injury. With Martinez, Casemiro and Luke Shaw back from injury, United are starting to look more like the team that finished third last season and the last thing Ten Hag needs is to be without Martinez for another extended period.
Although some results have been miserable this season, United are still playing for the FA Cup and a place in the Champions League, and as much as they need Hoyland to keep scoring and Maino to keep playing well, they also need Martinez and Casemiro. To keep fit.
“I'm not telling you we're there, where we want to be, but you see the potential,” Ten Hag said. “We saw the potential these players had [Højlund, Garnacho and Mainoo] But they need games. They need experience and the only way to get it is to play in the first team.
“They have the right attitude and when you have the attitude to improve every day, I'm convinced they can achieve high levels, but they need experienced players who have achieved everything to help them.
“When certain positions are not available, you have to be creative. We have certain times in the season when you have to adapt to make the starting lineup. Now the danger comes from Licha Martinez so I hope we don't come back. It's not about 11 players, it's about 15 or 16 players, so hopefully we can keep them all fit.”
Ten Hag is finally close to having the team he wanted all along. Højlund arrived from Atalanta injured and did not start until mid-September. Martinez was injured in late September. Casemiro was ruled out in November. Maino missed pre-season with a knee injury and was fit enough to start for the first time in late November. Shaw was out for three months between August and November.
This meant that, at various points, the depth of Ten Hag's squad was tested as they were forced to opt for Hannibal (now on loan at Sevilla), Facundo Pellistri (now on loan at Granada) and Sergio Reguilón (still unwanted at Tottenham and Spain). . Now on loan at Brentford.)
Losing Martinez for any length of time would be a huge blow, but at least there is cover at centre-back with Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans. On the other hand, he has very few options to replace Hoglund, Casemiro and Shaw.
Ten Hag chose Maguire to partner Martinez in defense against West Ham, and although the England defender had some shaky moments – being robbed by Emerson Palmieri and losing a run from Jarrod Bowen for West Ham's two best chances of the match – he chose Maguire. He still helped United keep a first clean sheet in the Premier League since a 0-0 draw with Liverpool on December 17 after conceding at least two goals in their previous five matches.
“It's only one game, so don't celebrate too much,” Ten Hag said. “I don't think we have reasons at this moment to do that, but today we are happy. You need a routine to get performance and you have to make split-second decisions.
“Every time you have to switch your team, swap centre-backs, right-backs for left-backs, it's about looking at each other and making the right decisions. Better football is about the details.”
There will come a time between now and the end of the season when Ten Hag will sit down with the club's new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, to discuss whether or not he is the man to take United forward. Ratcliffe's mission is to bring regular success back to Old Trafford after more than a decade of disappointment, and the decision on the manager will be an early test of his new regime.
Ten Hag is struggling against a start to the season that saw United crash out of Europe before Christmas and fall behind in the race for the top four, but more comfortable days like this one, along with continued contributions from Hoglund, Jarnacho and Maino. He will be able to point to a bright future when he is at the helm.
