13 January 2023 , 22:30
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Manchester United's remarkable revival under Erik ten Hag can be traced back to a sweltering August morning.
United's players had been humiliated 4-0 at Brentford, leaving them bottom of the Premier League, and were due to be off the following day. Boss Ten Hag had other ideas, cancelling their day off and hauling his squad in to run 13.8 kilometres – the distance Brentford had outrun them by.
Ten Hag joined his players on the run, accepting his culpability in the loss, as the group toiled in the searing heat to complete the punishment. The move proved a masterstroke; United beat arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 in their next game and have risen to fourth in the table, just four points behind City.
Playmaker Bruno Fernandes said it was the turning point in United's season, one they aim to underline by beating City in today's Manchester derby.
“When a manager does the punishment - it was supposed to be a day off - it makes us feel he knows he was part of that bad result,” said Fernandes. “He wanted to make us understand we're together, in the good moments and in the bad moments. That shows he's a manager who takes responsibility and not only puts it on the players.”
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Ten Hag has restored discipline to United, with stand-in-skipper Fernandes claiming the new hardline approach has been the making of the squad. Before his acrimonious exit, Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped by Ten Hag for refusing to come off the bench as a late sub against Tottenham.
Erik ten Hag joined Man Utd players in their gruelling punishment (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)And Marcus Rashford was dropped to the bench for United's trip to Wolves - where he came on and scored the winner - for being late for a team meeting after oversleeping. Fernandes said United's players know they cannot cut corners under Ten Hag, a move which is bringing out the best in them and keeps them on their toes.
“It's good for everyone to understand that you can't go over the line,” said Fernandes. “You have to follow the rules of the team, you have to follow the rules of the manager. Obviously for us at that moment, Marcus was already in good form. Everyone noticed that the manager was changing the team because Marcus was late.
“At the same moment, everyone felt like, 'we have to be here on time, that's the responsibility we have. We have to do what the manager wants and that is not what the manager wants’. Those are the rules - being on time for training, for meetings, for whatever it is - we have to be always on time.
“Marcus did really well because he knew he was wrong. It's difficult to accept sometimes, but he accepted it, came on and decided the game for us.”
Since losing 6-3 to City on October 2, United have been almost flawless, winning 15 games - including their last eight - drawing two and losing just once. Ten Hag is the third different United manager Fernandes has played under in as many years, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
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Man Utd were shocking against Brentford but the fallout started their revival (Getty Images)And in the 52-year-old Dutchman, Fernandes reckons the Red Devils finally have the right man to get them challenging for the big prizes again. Fernandes only signed a new deal after assurances from United about the club's ambitions and determination to challenge for the big trophies again under Ten Hag.
“Does the club want to achieve trophies or does the club just want to build something to go to the Champions League?” said Fernandes. “For me, that's not enough. The club demands more, the history of this club, the quality of the players we have, it demands more than just fighting for fourth place.
“It demands trophies, it demands we're at least fighting for trophies. As a club and with the players we have, we have the quality to do that and we've been showing that.”
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