Hojlund and Malacia sprinting post-match
Hojlund and Malacia sprinting post-match
Manchester United have started to conduct intense post-match warm-down sessions under new head coach Ruben Amorim.
Harry Maguire, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Tyrell Malacia re-emerged after the 4-0 victory over Everton at Old Trafford for post-match warm downs. Sources say the drills began after last week's Europa League win against Bodo/Glimt.
Yesterday's sessions were overseen by Paulo Barreira, the new physical performance coach, and fitness coach Charlie Owen. Owen could be seen sprinting with Hojlund and Malacia, who were both unused substitutes on Sunday, while coaching staff members watched on.
Garnacho came on in the 66th minute while Maguire made his first appearance in eight weeks, having recovered from a calf problem. The centre back could be in line for a start against Arsenal with Lisandro Martinez suspended after collecting five yellow cards.
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Amorim has repeatedly referenced United players' questionable work rate. At his first press conference, the Portuguese said United have to "be better running back".
Ahead of the Bodo/Glimt game last week, Amorim said the Norwegian team "run a lot and that is a very good thing for us in this moment. We need to improve that."
Amorim has been joined by five backroom staff members, with Carlos Fernandes his assistant, Adelio Candido and Emanuel Ferro the first-team coaches, Jorge Vital the new goalkeeping coach and analyst Eduardo Rosalino also drafted in.
Former United manager Erik ten Hag was questioned over his failure to add a fitness coach to his backroom staff amid the club's injury crises last season. Louis van Gaal was joined by physiologist Jos van Dijk, Jose Mourinho brought Carlos Lalin to Manchester with him and Owen was promoted to from the academy in 2019 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the manager.
Amorim has also highlighted United's need to improve their "physical aspect". "I think if you want to speak about the team, the way we play, I think we lose the ball too often and we have to keep the ball," he opined last month. "We have to be better running back. I think that is clear for everybody."
United prepared for the Everton match by conducting walking and jogging ball sessions with some players due to the tight turnaround. United kicked off on Sunday at 1.30pm, 65-and-a-half hours after they kicked off against Bodo/Glimt and Amorim made six changes to his starting XI for the second match running.