Injuries 'unavoidable' for 'overloaded' players, says Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag

Dutch coach critical of schedule as his side prepare for Europa League opener against FC Twente

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says there are now 'too many' competitions. Reuters

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says injuries to top players are an inevitable consequence of football's expanded schedule.

Rejigged European competitions and next summer’s new-look Club World Cup have raised concerns within the game about the toll on players.

Manchester City's Rodri spoke out on the issue last week and then suffered a serious knee injury in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has also complained about burnout, while players' union Fifpro has long warned the situation will at some point become untenable.

United, who this week unveiled further plans for redeveloping their Old Trafford home, get their first taste of the expanded 2024/25 Europa League when they host one of Ten Hag's former clubs FC Twente on Wednesday night (11pm UAE time).

The new group phase includes two extra games, while 24 of the 36 teams will now progress to the knockout rounds.

“The format I think we have to take this experience and then judge,” Ten Hag said. “But one thing is for sure, I think every match is significant and probably every goal is significant.

“First you get a split after January when the first eight teams qualify (directly to the last 16) and that can help you in February to continue.

“But when you are in the first 24 you can win this competition, so there’s always an option to win it. The second part of it we discuss so many times. There are too many games. It’s clear. Too many competitions.

“For the top players, they are overloaded and this is not good for football. At the end of the day it’s maybe good for commercial but there is a limit.

“It’s almost unavoidable that players get injured because of the overload from so many games.”

Asked what can be done to alter this, Ten Hag said: “I think as a club alone you can’t change this. It’s more about the total industry.

“It’s about clubs, players and coaches, so many others who are there in football who have to work to improve the game and find the right balance.

“At the end of the day, it’s financial. Also we are professional, so revenues have to come, but we have to balance this out.”

Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui, who arrived at Old Trafford from Bayern Munich in the summer, spoke separately to his manager but expressed similar views about the impact of the schedules.

“There are competition games, cup games, internationals, European Championships, World Cups,” the Morocco international said.

“So, if you are poised and prepared you may be playing up to 70 games in a season, which of course isn’t for everyone.

“It’s likely in most clubs that there will only be one or two players who make it through that season without injuries at all.”

United head into the Twente encounter having failed to take their chances in Saturday’s 0-0 stalemate at Crystal Palace. That draw followed a 3-0 win at Southampton and 7-0 Carabao Cup defeat of Barnsley.

Ten Hag says that winning the Europa League is another avenue for their main "target" of taking the club back into the Champions League next season.

"An opportunity and more roads to achieve the target you want," said the United boss.

"It is the most difficult [pathway to the Champions League], probably. In a tournament of 32 you have to be the best. It is a target and a road we want to go.

"As you know we want to win all the competitions we take part in, but we have to go game by game."