'Unforgivable!' - Erik ten Hag blasts Man Utd players for not following his rules in Dortmund defeat

• Ten Hag frustrated with players
• Unhappy with second-half performance
• Emphasises importance of following team rules

WHAT HAPPENED? In the last pre-season match of their USA tour, Manchester United suffered a 3-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas. Manager Ten Hag expressed his disappointment with some of the players who came off the bench in the second half, stating that they did not adhere to his tactical instructions, leading to a lacklustre performance.

WHAT THEY SAID: Post-match, the Dutch manager spoke to club media: "Yeah, [the game was] two parts, the first hour was good, playing as a team, lot of dynamic, good pressing," a frustrated Ten Hag said. "So it was really enjoyable to see and that's what I wanted to say at half-time, but all of a sudden, they give two goals away... The last half an hour, it was bad, a poor performance. They didn't follow the rules at all, not in pressing, not in building up or when attacking. They were 11 individuals on the pitch.

"That's not us, we have to keep control, keep responsibility on the ball and it was the same for the 3-2. That can't happen and it's unforgivable, even if it's a friendly."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ten Hag's frustration with the players not following his tactical instructions highlights the importance of discipline and adherence to team rules, even in pre-season friendlies. As the new season approaches, the manager will likely emphasise the need for the squad to remain focused and work together as a cohesive unit to achieve positive results.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED? The pre-season USA tour has concluded for the Red Devils and they will now turn their attention to friendlies against RC Lens and Athletic Bilbao before focusing on the upcoming Premier League season, beginning with a visit from Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 14.