Erik ten Hag insists Man Utd need 'hungry players' following Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo departures as Red Devils boss addresses dressing room discipline

It has been over a year since the Portugal superstar left the United ranks, with Ten Hag wielding the axe following Ronaldo's public denigration of all aspects of the club - including the Dutchman. And while that issue subsided, a new one in Sancho arose, which played out in a very public feud between player and manager. Ten Hag, again, came out on top, with the winger exiled and later shipped back to Borussia Dortmund on loan.

With two potentially troublesome stars omitted from his side, Ten Hag highlighted the importance of imposing discipline on his players. He said a press conference on United's official channels: "It is that [important] if you want to perform, you need hungry players. I already said we need personality and players who are hungry to fight for the badge, to fight for this club and to do it within the team. It is not about discipline, this is normal behaviour. It is about that and what you can expect from a top professional."

On the other side of the rotating exit door at Old Trafford, Ten Hag has welcomed a host of emerging stars who he will hope can be the foundation of his team for many years to come. But the Dutchman stressed patience in that regard, adding: "[With] talent, you need time, like the developing you have seen from [Alejandro] Garnacho, from Kobbie Mainoo, and so for instance also Rasmus Hojlund. He needs time, but in the same moment, I know we don't have time, but I know this could happen. You need time to get that progress in and for me, it is not difficult, I see it as generational that this is how the process could go. Sometimes you need some moments to step up and get that belief in."

Sancho didn't take long to make his mark on his return to Germany, notching an assist for veteran forward and close friend Marco Reus in Dortmund's 3-0 win over Darmstadt on Saturday. It is a glimpse of the talent Ten Hag failed to unearth during his tenure at Old Trafford, as he now turns to Garnacho, Antony, Marcus Rashford and Co to make up the goals in what has been a dry start to the campaign so far. Only Burnley and Sheffield United have scored fewer in the league.

Ten Hag's side face Tottenham in the Premier League later on Sunday. Another league win for Chelseaon Saturday meant they leapfrogged the Red Devils into eighth, but anything other than defeat for United would see them go back in front of their west London counterparts.