West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui defends Erik ten Hag from one criticism

Julen Lopetegui is already under pressure as manager of West Ham (Picture: Getty Images)

Julen Lopetegui has dismissed the idea that Manchester United don’t have a style of play under Erik ten Hag, saying that is clear to him what they are doing.

The Hammers host the Red Devils on Sunday and both managers are already under pressure after poor starts to the season.

Lopetegui only took over in east London over the summer but eight points from eight Premier League games is not cutting the mustard.

Ten Hag is into his third season in charge at Old Trafford but with improvements hard to identify, the Dutchman’s future is constantly in question.

The Manchester United manager has specifically been criticised for not having a clear plan in matches, with a style of play difficult to recognise.

However, when that criticism was put to Lopetegui, the Spaniard was not having it, saying it is obvious what the Red Devils are doing in attack and defence.

‘For sure, for sure. For me it’s very clear,’ he told a press conference. ‘They have one way to play, to attack and to defend, for sure.

‘Our work is to analyse and to be able to beat them, but they have one kind of style to attack and to defend, for sure.’

Erik ten Hag and Julen Lopetegui met during the latter’s stint in charge of Wolves (Picture: Getty Images)

He added: ‘We are going to play against a very big team — Manchester United is one of the best teams in the world. We have to be ready to face them and work hard to be beat them.’

A defeat at home to the underwhelming Red Devils would pile even more pressure on the former Spain and Real Madrid boss, but he says that feeling the strain is normal and is not bothering him.

‘When you become a coach, you live with pressure always. This is normal, and sometimes it is good too. It is our kind of life,’ he said.

‘I think that all the coaches, we are under pressure always, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the last matches.

‘There are a lot of matches in front of us, I believe a lot in these players, and I am sure that the good results are going to arrive.

‘The only way that we going to do this is in our daily work is to work hard and to try to be self-critics and to be able to improve. We are in this in this way and in this work.’

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