Erik ten Hag defends derided Man Utd star and issues rallying cry ahead of Liverpool game

Last night, Manchester United suffered a crushing blow as they were condemned to a defeat at the hands of Chelsea courtesy of a Cole Palmer hat-trick. How can the Red Devils bounce back?

Head coach Erik ten Hag defended one of his star players in a recent interview - additionally, he also issued a rally cry ahead of their fixture with Liverpool at the weekend.

Erik ten Hag defends Marcus Rashford in press conference following criticism

Marcus Rashford’s position at United is currently under scrutiny from the fans - not only have they derided his current form, but his work rate has also been called into question by the Red Devils massive.

Speaking to the press on Rashford, Ten Hag said: "He wants to score goals but he wants to win trophies and we still have a chance in the FA Cup. He wants to fight for a Champions League spot and the Euros are coming so I will say his motivation should be high. He can change the momentum. Before [the 30 March game at] Brentford he scored three goals in three games."

Ten Hag issues rallying cry ahead of Liverpool encounter

United will take on bitter rivals Liverpool at the weekend. In the aftermath of their disastrous loss against Chelsea, Ten Hag wants a response from his team - and he believes he will get one.

Speaking ahead of the game [via The Mirror], Ten Hag said: “We have to take energy. We will be mad, angry, and you can take a lot of energy from that and that is the way we have to do it.

“But we will keep fighting and I’m sure you see, our team, they have character. They are resilient and I’m sure they will be there on Sunday, to be in the fight against Liverpool. We can compete with and we can beat the best teams in the Premier League. When you do it in the Premier League, you can do it across Europe. But we need to learn now how to win games.”