Erik ten Hag has made the most of his weekend off from Manchester United duty by heading out on a cycling trip with his wife.
United were originally scheduled to play Crystal Palace at 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League. But Ten Hag and his players were given the weekend off after all Premier League fixtures were postponed as a sign of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away aged 96 at Balmoral on Thursday.
The Red Devils’ next match is not until Thursday, when they will travel to Moldova to face FC Sheriff in the Europa League. Ten Hag has therefore given his players some time off following their 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad on Thursday night – and he has enjoyed the free time too.
The Dutchman was spotted enjoying a leisurely bike ride with his wife Bianca on Saturday afternoon. The 52-year-old tried to relax as he took part in a very popular activity from his home country around the leafy lanes of Cheshire.
His leisure time came after the Premier League opted to go against the grain and postpone fixtures. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country. As our longest-serving monarch, she has been an inspiration and leaves behind an incredible legacy following a life of dedication.
"This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her, and we join together with all those in mourning her passing.”
Ten Hag is likely still to be thinking about the disappointing defeat against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford earlier this week. United came into the match on the back of four straight Premier League wins, which had propelled them up to fifth in the table following a dreadful start to the season.
However, Real Sociedad left Old Trafford with a famous win after Lisandro Martinez was penalised for handball, with Brais Mendez netting the resulting penalty. United will now travel to Chisinau, Moldova, next week to play Sheriff at 5.45pm UK time on September 15.
Ten Hag has been eager to embrace his new life in the north of England since swapping Amsterdam for Manchester earlier in the summer. He has previously been spotted dining out at Piccolino, an Italian restaurant in Cheshire, following the 2-1 defeat by Brighton on the opening day of the season last month.
Following their trip to Eastern Europe, United are due to host Leeds United at Old Trafford on Sunday, September 18. However, that fixture remains in doubt for the time being, with the Premier League and Football League yet to decide whether to go ahead with the next round of fixtures, with the country in a 17-day period of mourning for the Queen.
