Erik ten Hag has warned Manchester United's transition into an intense team will take months rather than weeks.
United beat fellow top six sides Liverpool and Arsenal early in their season but were humbled 6-3 at Manchester City on Sunday and at one stage trailed 6-1.
Paul Scholes criticised United wingers Jadon Sancho and Antony for failing to protect full-backs Diogo Dalot and Tyrell Malacia and doubled down on his criticism, describing Sancho and Antony as "a waste of time".
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The lack of pressing from the United forwards was widely blamed for their surrender at City and Ten Hag stressed United have been guilty of not embracing that style for years.
"It's more, it's physical, it's mental," Ten Hag said. "It's also sustainability, especially. It's like a routine, a way of life and you have to bring it to every training in your system, as a squad and as an individual player.
"And when you had a lack of it in the last years, it's not something that you build or progress in a week or a month, now it's a system that has to be and a demand in nowadays top football.
"And it's quite clear City is the standard in that. There are more teams. But I think also we can deliver that, we have seen it against Liverpool and we have seen it against Arsenal but now we have to do it on a consistent basis, that is what we have to work for now.
"But it will not come overnight, it will also take more than weeks, it will take months."
Ten Hag also lamented the number of bookings United have received in their seven Premier League matches. Diogo Dalot and Scott McTominay have both been yellow-carded four times and are a booking away from suspension while captain Harry Maguire and vice-captain Bruno Fernandes have been booked three times.
Overall, United have received 23 yellow cards in the league - making them top for yellow cards per game in the league this season - and Ten Hag complained their aggressive approach is sometimes compromised by the refereeing. The Dutchman was dismayed Dalot was booked in the second minute of the Manchester derby by Michael Oliver.
"Yeah, I know nasty, I know what it is," he assured. "In that manner, we can progress, sometimes also play a little bit smarter.
"Like we have too many bookings and some in the start of Premier League, they play tough but I wonder why we collect so many bookings and I don't understand.
"Like the first booking on Sunday, I really don't understand. We want to play tough, we want to keep the game going and then in the second minute already it's a booking for Diogo. Clear, it was a foul but to then get booked? Also, I saw many other bookings where I think, 'is that necessary?'
"But also take it to the players, I have to keep the reminder to play smart but they have to play nasty as well."
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