Erik ten Hag Warns of Injury Risks as Fixture Congestion Threatens Player Welfare

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed serious concerns about the growing number of fixtures in elite football, warning that top players face an “almost unavoidable” risk of injury due to the increasing workload.

His comments come as United gear up for their first game in the newly-expanded Europa League.

With European competitions expanding and next summer’s Club World Cup also set to grow, fears are mounting over the intense demands being placed on players. The toll of constant games is becoming more evident, with players like Manchester City’s Rodri suggesting the possibility of player strikes in protest of the congested calendar. Ironically, Rodri reportedly suffered a season-ending knee injury soon after voicing these concerns.

United will open their European campaign against Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday in a revamped Europa League format. The new setup sees 36 teams competing in a league phase, with each club playing eight matches before the knockout stages begin.

During a pre-match press conference, Ten Hag voiced his thoughts on the relentless fixture schedule, saying,

“There are too many games. It’s clear. Too many competitions.” He continued by emphasizing the impact this has on player welfare: “For top players, they are overloaded, and this is not good for football. It may be good for commercial reasons, but there’s a limit. It’s almost unavoidable that players get injured because of the overload from so many games.”

When asked about potential solutions, Ten Hag was candid, stating,

“As a club alone, you can’t change this. It’s about the whole industry. At the end of the day, it’s financial. Revenues have to come in, but we need to balance this out.”

Ten Hag’s remarks come on the heels of Manchester United’s recent performances, where they’ve struggled for consistency in the Premier League. A 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday left United with just seven points from five games, sitting outside the top ten. This frustrating result came after a dominant 3-0 win against Southampton and a 7-0 League Cup victory over Barnsley.

“Concerned? Not entirely,” Ten Hag said about their form. “We’ve been creating a lot of chances early in the season. Last week we scored seven against Barnsley, so we are capable of scoring. But we need to improve and be more clinical in front of goal.”

The Europa League match against Twente holds special significance for Ten Hag. The Dutchman spent three spells as a player at Twente, where he also began his coaching career.

“Twente is the team I follow the most,” he said fondly. “I watch them as a fan, not as an analyst. It’s a different way of watching their games. Honestly, I would have preferred to face a different team. It’s never easy to play against something you love.”