NEWS: Erik ten Hag has explained why Lisandro Martinez and Frenkie de Jong are needed at Man United.

NEWS: Erik ten Hag has explained why Lisandro Martinez and Frenkie de Jong are needed at Man United.

Man United have only conceded once so far on their pre-season tour but the goal highlighted their need for both targets.

Manchester United already have a lot of positives to build on this pre-season.

They’ve netted eight goals in two games, with a number of young players impressing and all squad members getting a decent run-out - all without Cristiano Ronaldo. But it’s the one goal they have conceded, against Melbourne Victory, that will irk Erik ten Hag.

He’s already admitted so, shortly after the 4-1 win in Australia. "I don't want to talk about the individual because I think it was from the start, high up the pitch, the wrong choices and then it ends up like a pack of cards,” he said.

"It's not one individual, it is more the team who made mistakes." It was the first, and arguably only, time United looked weak at the back, but it did seem a tad disconcerting.

Ten Hag played what many believe is his current first choice XI, and Melbourne were able to unpick the lock with a simple counterattack. The manager's aggressive style of play involves full-backs bombing up the flank, overlapping and underlapping the wingers as much as they can. But when Melbourne broke quickly, they were too high to retreat in time, leaving Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof exposed at the back.