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Scott McTominay was the hero of the day with his brace against Chelsea on Wednesday night, but the Scotland international was quick to praise a training session from manager Erik ten Haag ahead of the game.
United have come under fire in recent weeks for their inconsistent form which has seen them struggle in games, most notably losing a 2-0 lead at Galatasaray and struggling at Newcastle.
Before the win over the Blues, United had won just five of their previous 10 games, losing four and drawing once, with their erratic form struggling for fluidity.
However, against Chelsea at Old Trafford, it was a much-improved performance that saw the Red Devils continue their excellent record at home to the visitors with McTominay twice on target in a 2-1 win.
And the goalscoring hero was quick to credit his manager’s shift to preparation ahead of the game to begin to shake off some troubled form.
“Obviously, the manager to be honest with you.” McTominay told Prime Video after the game when asked that the hat had been changed before the clash.
“The way we’ve approached the game, a lot of light training to keep the energy up, to keep it fresh and going for the next game – because obviously it’s coming very thick and fast.
“But for us it’s a night we have to be happy with and a night we can build on.
“We started really, really well in the game and obviously the fans are very happy with the way we started and responded after a very abysmal performance against Newcastle, to be honest.
“All the boys were so upset with how we handled this game, it wasn’t good enough and to come here and win tonight was a plus and it’s something we can build on.”
It was a double week for most Premier League teams, with eight games played on Tuesday and Wednesday and two more in the set for Thursday.
As such, there was no respite for those teams competing in Europe, with United now playing four games in 11 days and their next game just three days after beating Chelsea.
McTominay’s public support for his manager’s efforts comes amid rumors that several of the squad’s players are becoming increasingly disillusioned.
Sky Sports reported that the Dutchman had lost half the dressing room due to his strict training methods and tactical approach.
They claim players are unhappy with their style of play, feel they train “too hard” and run too much in training – with some older players “not sure what they’re running about”.
It is added that some senior players have spoken to Ten Hag about what is going on – citing their experiences at previous teams – and believe his management can be improved.
However, Ten Haag remained confident that the reports had no effect on his side, claiming: “I don’t care about the noise. They are used to it. It was the same at Ajax, but in a smaller country, so less people.”
“When you’re not in top form on the day, you get beaten. You have to be at your best. When you are not, you are killed. We know that and we need the right attitude in every game.’