Former winger Lee Sharpe has warned Manchester United's players that anyone not doing what Erik ten Hag asks of them this season will be axed from the Dutchman's plans without any hesitation.
Ten Hag, who watched his side conclude their pre-season preparations with a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford on Sunday, was appointed United boss back in April, with a view to replacing Ralf Rangnick ahead of the start of this season. Although new additions to the squad have been few and far between, the former Ajax boss has wasted little time in making improvements in M16.
Although United ended their pre-season schedule with a bit of a limp, failing to win any of their final three friendlies, they excelled in their opening three games, playing vibrant, forward-thinking, attractive football. The players have bought into Ten Hag's methods and there is a degree of optimism surrounding Old Trafford ahead of Sunday's Premier League opener against Brighton.
Although pre-season, on the whole, has been encouraging for United, Ten Hag's first meaningful test will come this weekend. It will mark his first competitive game at the helm and it will be the first time that he has named a starting line-up where underperformances from anyone risk being heavily scrutinised, both by him and the fans.
And for Sharpe, who sported United colours between 1988 and 1996, anyone who fails to fulfil their role will be at risk of being removed from the team, pointing to Ten Hag's reputation as being a disciplinarian.
"Ten Hag has a structure and demands discipline," said Sharpe, speaking to the Daily Star on behalf of 888sport. "He'll let everyone know their role in the team and if they're not doing it, they won't play.
"He's making some strong signings at the moment and obviously he likes to score goals, coming from a team in Ajax who have reached a Champions League semi by scoring loads of goals. At the moment everything is positive and let's see how we go."
Although United are expected to challenge for the top four this season, it promises to be a daunting task, with everyone who finished above them last season having strengthened their respective squads. Liverpool and Manchester City are expected to lead the way in pursuit of the title, meaning it is, in the eyes of many, far too soon to consider United as title rivals.
Sharpe continued: "Can United close the gap on City and Liverpool? That’s the million-dollar question, isn't it?
"Certainly, in the first couple of games, already you can see a change. The team is working harder and they're on the front foot. In the Liverpool game, for the first time I saw one of the central midfielders play a first-time ball straight over the top and turn the team around and we’ve not seen that for quite a while."
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