Ralf Rangnick praises response of Manchester United gamers in win over Burnley

Ralf Rangnick was happy by the response and improved physique language displayed by Manchester United’s gamers as they beat Burnley days on from the meek draw at Newcastle

The summer season arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane raised expectations round Outdated Trafford however this season has been a moist squib, resulting in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit final month.

Progress has been gradual below interim successor Rangnick, thanks in no small half to the affect of Covid-19, and United regarded properly off the tempo in Monday’s 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Newcastle.

Former Purple Devils skipper Gary Neville mentioned the gamers had been “a bunch of whinge-bags” at St James’ Park however Rangnick felt his gamers confirmed a extra constructive mindset in Thursday’s 3-1 win in opposition to Burnley.

“In workforce sports activities it’s all the time vital that you’re satisfied about what you might be doing,” Rangnick mentioned.

“At Newcastle it was a tough recreation for us. We had been 1-0 down after seven minutes. They did properly, we didn’t play properly, particularly within the first half. Due to this fact the response to what’s taking place on the pitch is the query: how can we react to this?

“Will we struggle again? Will we present them that we’re nonetheless a workforce, that believes in ourselves? Or can we shake our heads or do that. These form of issues solely assist the opposite workforce and does harm our personal workforce.

“Due to this fact, for me, it was clear to inform them it is necessary we work and behave and work as a workforce and that we don’t present these sorts of side-effects on the pitch.”

United moved sixth with victory within the last Premier League recreation of 2021, with Scott McTominay the star of the present at Outdated Trafford.

The Scotland midfielder scored a positive opener from the sting of the field and, after Sancho’s strike went in off Ben Mee, noticed a shot tipped onto the submit that allowed Cristiano Ronaldo so as to add a 3rd.

“We solely determined this afternoon at two o’clock that he’ll play,” Rangnick mentioned of man of the match McTominay.

“He had some issues with the ankle contusion that he suffered at Newcastle, so it was good to have him accessible and within the workforce. At half-time, our workforce physician instructed me that he will likely be struggling within the second half. It was crucial to have him within the workforce and in the long run he may play the entire 92 or 93 minutes.

“He was a vital participant for us in the present day. We performed in a 4-4-2 defensively and a 4-2-4 offensively, and I assumed it was vital to have him and Nemanja (Matic) as the 2 sixes taking part in subsequent to one another.”

Burnley had been coping with quite a few key absentees by means of harm and Covid-19, however Sean Dyche was not utilizing that as an excuse after a recreation by which Aaron Lennon scored a comfort.

“Everybody’s acquired a problem in the intervening time,” the Clarets boss mentioned after a recreation Nick Pope, Jay Rodriguez, Josh Brownhill and Kevin Lengthy missed after testing constructive for Covid-19.

“I don’t need to overegg that. We’ve misplaced and we’re hopeful a few them will come again. After they try this clearly provides to us, we would get Maxwel (Cornet) again round it. We’ll should see.

“Barnsey [Ashley Barnes] and Connor Roberts are too far-off however it’s a problem what’s taking place in the intervening time. I assumed the efficiency was alright, significantly among the possibilities we created.

“It’s not straightforward to come back right here and create possibilities, it’s not straightforward to come back right here and maintain the ball like we did at instances, so quite a lot of that facet of it was alright. However, sadly, I’m speaking in regards to the particulars. We’ve acquired to maintain working and maintain specializing in the small print of each ends of the pitch.”