Manchester United's abysmal start to the season, characterised by four wins and four losses in their first eight Premier League games, has prompted manager Erik ten Hag to consider their last victory over Brentford as a turning point.
Scott McTominay played a pivotal role, coming off the bench to score two goals that enabled United to secure a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Bees just before the international break.
Reflecting on this victory, ten Hag expressed ahead of their match against Sheffield United: "You can't restart, but there is a strong dressing room. They are aligned, determined, and willing to win games. That is what we have seen. In the end, we beat them, and physically we were very strong. Mentally, we kept going and were very strong."
The Dutch manager remains optimistic about the future, despite the challenges Man United have faced at the beginning of the season.
He also addressed the struggles of Andre Onana, the talented goalkeeper who recently joined the club from Inter Milan in the summer. Onana has had a challenging transition to the English top flight, and ten Hag acknowledges that there's room for improvement. "He knows [he's not been good enough], we know, he will do much better. As with every player who's coming into the Premier League, you need an integration period, but he has to step up."
Ten Hag drew comparisons with legendary United goalkeepers like Peter Schmeichel and David De Gea, noting that they also faced challenges at the start of their Old Trafford careers. "Big United keepers like Peter Schmeichel and David De Gea started [slowly], and Andre knows that. It is good to know a little bit about history. We live now, we live in the future, and he has to make his future by giving better performances. I'm sure he will do it. He showed it at Barcelona, Ajax, Inter Milan; he was in the semi-final and the final of the Champions League. I'm sure he will give a great performance."
Ten Hag's comments reflect his confidence in Onana's abilities and the belief that the goalkeeper will adapt and shine for Manchester United in due course.
Regarding Jadon Sancho, the manager kept his remarks brief, saying, "Everything has been said about that."
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