Erik Ten Hag Told To Let Manchester United Players Pick The Team For His First Match As Manager

Peter Crouch has suggested Erik ten Hag should put pressure on his Manchester United players by allowing them to pick the team for his first match as manager.

Ten Hag is the latest man to take charge at Old Trafford, having seen his predecessors Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick fail to win silverware with the current group of players.

Former Ajax boss Ten Hag is tasked with improving the club's fortunes after a disappointing season that saw United finish sixth in the Premier League.

Erik ten Hag is planning for his first match as Manchester United manager (Image: PA)

The campaign was dominated by reports of dressing room spats, cliques in the squad and players keen to leave Old Trafford.

After initially joking that Ten Hag should let the squad pick their own team, Crouch suggested it could actually be a useful tactic in his first match in charge.

"Manchester United right, I reckon Ten Hag should go and do that. He should go 'right, you lot, you have been a disgrace'," Crouch said on That Peter Crouch Podcast.

"'You've been blaming everybody else. You, the players sort this out. Pick your players and the formation you want to play. Come to this decision together as a team.'

"I think this could bring the team closer together, and then he takes it from there.

United finished sixth in the Premier League last season (Image: PA)

"I feel like that could work. Because you wouldn't want to lose if the manager has gone 'right, this one is on you now, good luck! I'm going to walk out, I'm going to watch you, but it's on you'."

United's players who are not currently away on international duty are due to return to training after their summer holidays on June 27.

United will then face Liverpool in their opening pre-season fixture in Bangkok on July 12 before games against Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on July 15 and 19 respectively.

Crouch admits it would be a risky strategy for Ten Hag to allow his players to pick their own starting line-up for his first game against United's bitter rivals.

"It's good, but then that’s a representation of you as the manager," Crouch added.

Peter Crouch has suggested Ten Hag let United's players pick the team for his first match (Image: PA)

"If you are on the side-line and you have done that, which I think is a great idea, let them sort it out and pick a team.

"And then you are on the side-line there and you see the team and you go, 'oh no, not him, he's s***!'"

Ten Hag has already warned his players what to expect when they return from their summer break.

"I have high expectations from myself and that is also what I demand from my squad," Ten Hag said.

"They have to cooperate together and they have to give every day their best. And I would say, for me, good is not good enough.

"We have to do better."