“Performing magnificently”, “Did really well” - Erik ten Hag names 7 Manchester United stars who impressed him at 2022 FIFA World Cup

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been impressed by several players from the club at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Red Devils are currently represented by France's Raphael Varane and Argentina's Lisandro Martinez in the tournament's semi-finals.

Players returning from big international tournaments can be difficult to handle at times, as Manchester United discovered last season. Following England's disappointing loss against Italy in the 2020 EUROs final, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho were underwhelming throughout the season.

However, Ten Hag claimed that the club is prepared to deal with a similar situation with the players returning from the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He said (via Manchester Evening News):

"We are prepared for every situation. Players have success, if they don't have success, so there will be some who are really happy and some will come back really disappointed and something can be in between. Maybe when you're playing the final but lose, you're going to first be really disappointed. But if you see it after you see we had a great World Cup."

Ten Hag also named a few Manchester United players who have impressed him at the Qatar tournament:

"What I see until now, I’m really happy with the performance of our players, they are really in good shape. We talked already about Casemiro but you see Bruno, great World Cup until now."

He added:

"Diogo, in two games, did really well. If I see the English, all three are performing magnificently. Rapha Varane is back, is doing well. So I'm really happy with the performances of all our players."

Ten Hag also reportedly texted Martinez ahead of Argentina's quarter-final clash against the Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup. The Dutch manager jokingly told the defender that he would see him soon, but La Albiceleste managed to win in the penalty shootout.

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Manchester United resume their season with a favorable fixture run after the 2022 FIFA World Cup

The Red Devils are currently fifth in the Premier League table after 14 games, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal.

After the FIFA World Cup concludes, Ten Hag's side will host Burnley in the Round of 16 of the EFL Cup on December 21.

Manchester United will then face Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers (away), Bournemouth, and Everton in their four Premier League games.

The Red Devils will hope to make the most of this fixture list as they face Manchester City and Arsenal in their next two games.