Erik ten Hag reveals that he has spoken to his Manchester United players about improving their body language and states that Bruno Fernandes is a good role model

Erik ten Hag spoke to his Manchester United team about improving their body language after recent criticism and cited captain Bruno Fernandes as a good role model.

There has been a conversation surrounding the two teams involved in Sunday’s Manchester derby about how their players look and behave on the pitch.

City manager Pep Guardiola recently said that Erling Haaland’s body language “wasn’t good” against Everton, after which the striker responded with five goals against Luton in midweek.

Meanwhile, Alan Shearer berated United player Marcus Rashford for his reaction to losing the ball at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, with the TV commentator imploring: “Stop waving your arms… he’s trying to send a message to the fans”. it’s not my fault.’

Ten Hag admitted: ‘Of course body language is important. We talk about this topic with the players and the team, about the impact on the public, but also with the rivals, because football is a very psychological game.

Ten Hag stated that Bruno Fernandes’ body language is a good example for the team

Your browser does not support iframes.

‘You have to take everything you can and use it to your advantage. When your body language and expression can be positive, then you use them for the good of your own team.

“What you see is the character of a player expressed in his body language and that is not something you can change in a short time.

“I think Bruno is a good example of this. I have seen that he wants to win and that is why he shows his emotion and that is an absolute strength for him to boost his own team.

“It shows how much he wants to win so that others around him will pick it up and go fight with it.”

United are a big loser against City. They have not finished above their rivals since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and are currently 15 points behind.

Guardiola has never mentioned United as City’s main rivals these days and ten Hag admits he can’t argue with that.

“For the last decade it has been like that. It is (Pep’s words) a fair assessment but we cannot accept it. We have to recover, as Sir Jim says.

‘We have to show ambition. We want to be number one and I think that is a good ambition. “Now we must have the strategies to achieve it.”

Alan Shearer criticized Rashford for his body language against Nottingham Forest

Ten Hag admits he can’t argue with Guardiola’s refusal to mention United as City’s rivals

Despite bringing in Omar Berrada as chief executive, ten Hag insists United will not copy City

United have already hired City’s Omar Berrada to be their new general manager, but ten Hag insists the club will not simply imitate their neighbours.

“I think you can always learn from opponents who are successful and you have to do that if you want to reach higher levels. But at the same time we have to do it in a united way,” he said.

‘This is a different club, with a different atmosphere and a different DNA. It’s very good that you choose things that can be successful and integrate them into your own model.’