Erik ten Hag has suffered a blow to his plans for Manchester United after Kobbie Mainoo was diagnosed with an ankle injury and will miss the beginning of the new season.
The manager started the 18-year-old holding midfielder against Arsenal and Real Madrid on the summer tour of the US to assess his readiness to be a fully integrated first-team squad member.
Yet after impressing against Arsenal at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, Mainoo was forced to limp out of the defeat by Real at Houston’s NRG Stadium in the opening minutes after Rodrigo fell into the back of his leg.
Ten Hag gave Mainoo his Premier League debut as a substitute in February’s 3-0 win over Leicester, which was his third and final appearance of last season.
The manager cut his players’ promotional commitments from three days to two on the US summer tour due to a drive for optimum preparation before the new season, as he continues his overhaul of the club.
Ten Hag had minimal agency regarding last year’s pre-season trip to Thailand and Australia as the majority of its structure was in place before he was appointed in April 2022. However, the Dutchman, intent that his squad should be completely focused on the new campaign, was able to convince the club hierarchy to release his players from the third day of commitments they undertook 12 months ago.
The manager’s tightening of control of United also led him to shorten the overall length of the tour to 11 days so that his players could enjoy a greater post-season break after a 2022-23 campaign that included the winter World Cup in Qatar for many of them. And the cancelling of a training session open to the media at New Jersey’s Pingry School on the Friday before playing Arsenal the following day.
In January the Dutchman appointed Omar Meziane as head chef to ensure his squad would have a bespoke diet. The Moroccan, who previously worked for the England football team and is a consultant to the England & Wales Cricket Board, is travelling a day ahead of the team on the tour of New Jersey, San Diego, Houston and Las Vegas to oversee catering for the players.
Ten Hag’s attention to detail further includes a dress code in which the squad and staff have to be in the correct training kit or leisurewear, the 52-year-old’s specifications including the colour of socks having to be either black or white. While he frowns on any violations, mobile phones are not allowed when dining, and players and staff are asked to eat together.