Erik ten Hag hits back at national team manager’s criticism of Manchester United star

De Ligt had a rough international break, making costly mistakes in games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany, leading to disappointing results.

In the latter, the defender was hauled off at half-time by Ronald Koeman shortly after an error lead to a goal, with the Dutch manager saying of his mistakes: ‘That was an individual bad moment from a defender.

‘But it is clear that he also has to improve. Of course I would rather have kept him on the pitch. It just looks like he is now in a period where all his mistakes are being punished.’

De Ligt’s centre-back partner and Netherlands and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was more scathing however, saying: ‘This is football. You have to learn from this.

‘It was one moment but at the highest level you will get punished for it.’

This will inevitably heap more pressure on the 25-year-old who moved to Old Trafford from Bayern Munich over the summer for £38million, with Dutch icon Rafael van der Vaart telling Metro that De Ligt ‘has never been the same’ since leaving Ajax in 2019.

De Ligt worked under Ten Hag at the Eredivisie giants and the United boss promises we will see his qualities soon enough, saying in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s game at Southampton:

‘I know Matthijs, he’s a great personality, he has character. He will overcome this and he will bounce back in that situation, in the Dutch squad.

‘Definitely, it’s not in his club situation, so I’m not afraid for this situation. I know his qualities, I know his personality and I know he will fight back.

‘He had a very difficult pre-season because he didn’t play games. The only game he really played from the start, the only start he had, was the last game against Liverpool.

‘Without this, he had to go in starts for the Dutch squad, so, of course, he’s not in a rhythm yet, he’s not up to full speed but, once he’s up to full speed, you will see a different quality, when he’s in his rhythm.’

De Ligt is expected to start against Southampton, with fellow new signing Manuel Ugarte likely to make his Red Devils debut at St. Mary’s.

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