Manchester United: Erik ten Hag’s masterplan after 7-0 mauling by Liverpool

Humiliated and humiliated, Manchester United players solemnly leaked in Carrington at 9am on Monday, no more than 15 hours after the final whistle was blown in a shock capitulation at Anfield.

David de Gea, beaten seven times by arch-rivals Liverpool, and Luke Shaw lowered their car sun visors to hide their embarrassment from the cameras as they entered the training ground for a planned recovery session. Alejandro Garnacho tried to disappear into a white hooded sweatshirt, pulled tight around his face.

The teammates, some of whom had hastily canceled social media events planned for Monday, still wore shocked expressions.

Erik ten Hag had arrived two hours earlier, furious at what he had witnessed as his team collapsed in a club record loss to Liverpool.

However, when he brought them together for a brief chat, the topic was one of recovery rather than recrimination.

The players solemnly arrived at training at 9am in Carrington on Monday morning.

“What happened doesn’t destroy all the good work we’ve done this season,” was the coach’s message. He told them to be hungry to fix things. He talked about the importance of not being depressed or losing confidence.

He said they would benefit from more sessions with Rainier Koers, the Dutch sports psychologist brought to the club by Ten Hag.

There was no replay of the game, but Ten Hag showed his players selected video clips “to make them angry”, according to a source, just as he had tried to irritate them at Anfield by demanding silence in the away dressing room so they could hear Liverpool’s cheers.

As usual, mentality was at the forefront of his mind. That is what Ten Hag will demand when United host Real Betis in the Europa League this week, looking to put the darkest days behind them.

Mentality matters more to him at the moment than any physical shortcomings, which was not the case when United faced a similar investigation after a 4-0 defeat at Brentford in his second game in charge.

On that occasion, Ten Hag summoned his players on a day off and subjected them to a punishing run in the August sun for going 13.8km less than their opponents.

Ten Hag showed his players video clips of Liverpool’s defeat to “make them mad”

The United players also had additional sessions with the club’s Dutch psychologist, but they did not have to make a penalty run as they did after their opening game of the season, a 4-0 loss to Brentford.

The 99.01km they clocked at Anfield was their lowest since the 95.6km at Brentford, but there were extenuating circumstances.

Ten Hag’s side came into the match after a Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle and an unconvincing FA Cup win over West Ham in midweek. The two days of training leading up to Liverpool are said to have been sub-par.

Ten Hag knows better than anyone that his players are feeling the strain. There was no point in whipping them this time. It’s been a grueling schedule and one that will be just one game away from the club’s record 66 if United continue to challenge on all fronts.

Liverpool’s thrashing all but ended United’s title hopes. They are three points down on Arsenal and Manchester City from where they were at the start of the weekend, and their goal difference has been shattered.

Ten Hag was quick to silence any talk of quads, but there was a growing feeling among the players that the Premier League title was a genuine goal.

In the players’ WhatsApp group, they had talked about the possibility of catching the first two.

The feel-good factor before the Liverpool game was what made the collapse so shocking.

Liverpool’s thrashing nearly ended United’s hopes of lifting the league title.

It didn’t help Ten Hag’s mood that previous transfer target Cody Gakpo scored a brace

A week after dancing on the grass at Wembley, Ten Hag must have wanted to be swallowed up by the green grass of Anfield. Instead of enjoying the hostility, as he predicted, his side fell apart. Afterward, he criticized them for lack of professionalism, saying they were lucky they weren’t traveling home with the fans.

It didn’t help Ten Hag’s mood that previous transfer target Cody Gakpo had scored twice for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Asked if his players had said anything to him, Ten Hag replied dryly: ‘No, I didn’t give them a chance. I have only given my opinion on it.

Some of the players were ready to leave Anfield just 20 minutes after the final whistle. Jadon Sancho was one of the first out, then Anthony Elanga.

Assistant manager Steve McClaren left “as if he had seen a ghost”, according to a witness. He asked director of football John Murtough how he felt. “I had better days, that’s for sure,” was the reply. Bruno Fernandes had already spoken with Sky Sports and everything was discussed. “I have no more words to say,” he murmured.

When United lost 4-0 there last April, caretaker boss Ralf Rangnick could still dare to share a hug with Klopp. On Sunday, Ten Hag walked straight from the press room to the team bus with a thunderous face. He knows how damaging a loss like this can be.