David de Gea believes Manchester United are going "in the right direction" under Erik ten Hag as they continue to finesse their style of play.
The club season was halted with United fifth in the Premier League, into the Europa League play-offs and the fourth round of the League Cup.
United are only three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand but have a goal difference of 0 and failure to top their Europa League group has left them with a challenging two-legged tie against Barcelona in February.
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De Gea, who was dropped from the Spain squad in March and did not earn a recall for the World Cup, travelled to Goa in India for a sponsor's event earlier this week and touched upon United's start to the season.
"I think this year we want to dictate games and want to have the ball," De Gea told news agency ANI. "We are looking to play from the back and press teams, pressing high in the opponent's half. We are trying to keep the ball in the opponent's half, try to score goals and win games.
"The beginning of the season was a bit tough. After that, we started playing excellent football, winning games. We had a new manager and new players, so we needed a bit of time to know the way that the manager wants us to play.
"But I think we are in the right direction winning games and playing really well."
Van de Beek, also in Goa, made his first start for United under Ten Hag against Real Sociedad last month and was surprisingly retained for the next two matches but was substituted in all three games and widely pilloried for his anonymous performances.
The 25-year-old has not been included in any of Louis van Gaal's Netherlands squads since the former United manager replaced Frank de Boer in August 2021 and the Dutchman has flown with a callow United squad to Spain for their warm-weather training camp.
Van de Beek has not capitalised on playing under Ten Hag for Ajax so far this season but is in contention to for a recall against Burnley in the League Cup fourth round on December 21 due to the number of World Cup participants.
"We just have to work harder on the way how we want to play," Van de Beek said. "So yeah, we work on it every time. And yeah, then if you work hard to train out every day, I think the results will come."
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