Rangnick: Just one area of Man Utd squad needs no improvement

Will Ford
Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick

Ralf Rangnick believes there is just one area of the Manchester United squad that is not in need of improvement.

The interim manager at Old Trafford is set to step aside this summer with Erik ten Hag set to become the permanent boss.


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Having finished second in the Premier League last term, the Red Devils have fallen behind their rivals and face a huge battle to finish in the Champions league qualification places this season.

It’s widely expected Ten Hag will oversee an overhaul when he arrives at the club and Rangnick thinks the whole squad needs improving except for the goalkeeping position.

Ahead of their clash with Liverpool on Tuesday, Rangnick explained: “It’s not enough to bring in three or four new players. It will be more, bearing in mind how many players will no longer be here [out of contract].

“Apart from goalkeeping, we need to improve the squad in all areas.”

Juan Mata, Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard are all set to become free agents at the end of the season, while Nemanja Matic has also said he will leave the club at the end of the season.

On player recruitment, Rangnick added: “Of course it’s important to know who will be the new manager to start the recruitment process.

“To find the best possible players, only makes sense if you know who will be the manager and how does he want to play”.

United travel to Anfield to face title-chasing Liverpool on Tuesday night, and Rangnick believes his side need to be “more compact and aggressive” if they are to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

“As I said after the game [Norwich], we need to be more compact, we need to find the right balance of what we do in possession of the ball and what we need to do in order to defend our own goal.

“For sure, we need to be more compact, more aggressive, more on the front foot but still make sure we have all the players behind the ball.

“This is what we need to show tomorrow against a team that is probably one of the best – if not the best – in creating moments which they can be dangerous from in and around the box.

“We need to be at our very best defensively but still have a formation and approach to the game that we can be dangerous ourselves.”