De Gea enjoying Erik's high standards

Every pre-season game - including Melbourne Victory (11:05 BST Friday 15 July) - will be shown live on MUTV, now available in our app and on ManUtd.com.

David De Gea says he and his Manchester United team-mates are working to the highest standards possible under new manager Erik ten Hag, who has made a hugely positive impression on his squad so far.

Our no.1 spoke exclusively to us before the 4-0 win over Liverpool, when he played more minutes than anybody else, about the manager's influence on the training field and also off the pitch.

De Gea has thoroughly enjoyed working with Ten Hag and he and the team are having such crucial time together on Tour 2022 in order to hone the way he wants the Reds to play.

And David says the work has been extremely productive thus far.

"The manager knows 100 per cent what he wants," the Spaniard told us. "He knows the way he wants to play. He’s giving a lot of information to the team, trying to give the details and have some rules inside and outside the pitch, I think this is what we need and also to know what we have to do on the pitch and play as a team.

"I think the whole team is working very hard. They are very intense sessions with the manager, he knows very clearly what he wants for the team and there is a lot of information at the beginning, as I said, but with the time here [on tour] we are getting the right messages so I think it’s great. 

"It’s very intense training and everyone is focused on football and I feel that I have seen great, great things."

De Gea's first experience of life with United was Tour 2011 when he arrived in Seattle after completing his signing for the Reds. 

He has since become one of the club's most legendary stoppers and still remembers that first tour well.

"It was a long time ago! It was a bit tough for me because I was new to the club, it was a different language and different team-mates, everything was different for me. The training was really hard as well, I was a kid!" he joked.

"But at the same time it was great to be part of Manchester United and be on a pre-season tour with a lot of experienced players; I learnt a lot from the beginning."

Asked how he would describe the David De Gea who started his first pre-season to the one beginning this one, he added: [Smiles] "Totally different, but with the same passion and the same feelings like when I first came here, I love the club, even more now. I love the fans too.

"Now, it’s like when you’re a kid and you start something new – we have a new season and I feel very positive and very strong and, to be honest, I can’t wait for the start of the season. It’s great to be here at the club and I always feel the love of the fans."

HOW TO WATCH UNITED V MELBOURNE VICTORY

MUTV, also available via the United App and ManUtd.com, is the only place to watch Friday's match in Melbourne LIVE, with kick-off at 11:05 BST*.

MUTV viewers will also have access to the short and extended match highlights before anyone else, as well as the full match replay. So what are you waiting for? Visit MUTV now. 
 
*MUTV live coverage not available in Australia due to domestic broadcast rights.