Erik ten Hag is partial to an espresso before his press conferences at Carrington and Manchester United's recent schedule has been so relentless caffeine is an essential stimulant
To compound the Thursday-Sunday schedule of the Europa League, the Premier League have saddled United with four Thursday night kick-offs. United's third round League Cup tie was also played on a Thursday.
United are not impressed by avoidable Thursday-Sunday weeks but their record on the Sunday after Thursday fixtures reads won nine, drawn three and lost two. Ten Hag seldom apportions the blame for defeats on external factors and it would be out of character for him to lament the Thursday slots.
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Ten Hag may soon start wishing the days away. United have a week-long gap between their upcoming fixtures against Wolves and Bournemouth and then there is a five-day wait for their penultimate league game against Chelsea.
United ought to have railed against that date, needlessly pushed back to accommodate television rights holders. Manchester City are at Brighton on Wednesday night but, as the broadcasters wanted to avoid a clash, United could have played on Tuesday.
Truly successful teams will always be pressed for recovery time. City have only played three games fewer than United, whose complacency in the Europa League group stage added two more games to a crammed campaign with their play-offs against Barcelona.
This will be the sixth-longest season in United's history. In the more taxing seasons, they won a combined 11 trophies and there were open-top bus parades down Deansgate at the conclusions in 1994 and '99.
"Tiredness is in the mind," Ten Hag stressed last week. United have looked leggy in the second halves of their recent matches and Ten Hag could have rotated more and been more decisive.
Why was Christian Eriksen on the pitch in the second half of a home FA Cup tie against Championship relegation fodder? And why did Raphael Varane, clearly injured, continue for the rest of the first half against Sevilla?
Ten Hag does not do 'weakened' teams and that stems from the six changes he made for the Europa League group stage opener against Real Sociedad. United lost 1-0 in unfortunate circumstances - Lisandro Martinez was preposterously penalised for a handball inside the area - and Sociedad remained top for the group's duration.
The players promoted that night? Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Casemiro, Fred, Anthony Elanga and Cristiano Ronaldo. Hardly a disadvantage against a team United beat 1-0 in San Sebastian two months later.
That is the only match that Bruno Fernandes has emerged in all season. He was suspended against Aston Villa and Sevilla and given the night off against Charlton. Fernandes has started a remarkable 53 club games in nine months.
The Portuguese has lined up in 117 out of the 123 Premier League games he has been available for. Two of the non-starts were in May 2021 when United had two games in three days following the postponement of the Liverpool match and on the final day of the season at Wolves; three days before the Europa League final.
Of the 185 games United have played since Fernandes was driven into Carrington, he has not missed one through injury; his absence against Tottenham last year was through illness. This season, his performance level has reached new heights whilst having the captain's armband strapped to his bicep in 42 of the matches.
Fernandes is one of seven players Ten Hag can completely count on. Two are currently absent - the rock-steady partnership of Varane and Martinez. Luke Shaw, too juvenile in his first few years at United, now has such a faultless mentality the left-back is one of the most accomplished centre-backs in the league.
Casemiro is among the contenders for the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award and United have not possessed a midfielder with the equanimity of Christian Eriksen since Michael Carrick. Marcus Rashford is on a meagre run of five goals in 17 games yet his performance level is not troubling and he should still match Robin van Persie's 30-goal haul of 2012-13.
Antony, a work in progress, was United's standout performer in April and he may become more dependable in time. His form is still too fitful; predictable for a winger new to England who was still in Brazil this time three years ago. Diogo Dalot was totally trusted by Ten Hag prior to the World Cup, so much so he started in 20 of United's 21 matches. In the 36 since Aaron Wan-Bissaka has started 24 at right-back.
Seven sound starters is decent going for a manager who had not attended a United game on these shores this time last year. Ten Hag wants to add three first-team signings in the summer to a team currently with as many league goals as United managed in the stultifying second season under Louis van Gaal.
They are in need of additional stimulants.
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