![UNITED HAVE 'LESS DEPTH' THAN RIVALS](https://cdn.magzter.com/1617717947/1721426295/articles/QspGCIauM1721431802653/UNITED-HAVE-LESS-DEPTH-THAN-RIVALS.jpg)
Manchester United are still in the process of building their squad and have less depth than many of their English Premier League rivals, manager Erik ten Hag said on July 19, as he again blamed injuries for last season's disappointing eighth-placed finish.
Earlier in July, the 54-year-old extended his contract until 2026 despite speculation he would be fired after a poor season, in which they still managed to put on some gloss with FA Cup success at the end of the campaign.
But the Dutchman called a total of 61 matches for his club in all competitions last season "simply bizarre".
"That's really too much. We are not the only team that struggled with injuries, other clubs had the same," he told Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad.
"Last season we had constantly injuries for players in the same positions, and they were all at the back. At one point we had almost no defenders available.
"We were and still are in that process (of building). If you compare our squad with other top clubs in the Premier League, we are certainly a bit less in terms of depth. That is why we found it so difficult to deal with those injuries."
Denne historien er fra July 20, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 20, 2024-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
![Former players 'worried' about 'keepers situation](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/2cgofSKXmAtLo71DECJsys/FORMER-PLAYERS-WORRIED-ABOUT-KEEPERS-SITUATION.jpg)
Former players 'worried' about 'keepers situation
Former national football custodians Lionel Lewis and Yakob Hashim have expressed concern over the future of goalkeeping in the country, describing the situation as \"worrying\" and calling for urgent measures to discover and develop new talents for the position.
![ONLY WAN NO. 1 FOR THE LIONS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/3ykfDAYspcTVmP1P4Husys/ONLY-WAN-NO-1-FOR-THE-LIONS.jpg)
ONLY WAN NO. 1 FOR THE LIONS
With first-choice goalkeeper Hassan retired, Izwan and Syazwan are vying for his spot
Regrets fuel Hong's 2nd South Korea stint
South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo returns to the international fray on Sept 5, aiming to erase past disappointments and secure a winning start to the third phase of Asia's World Cup qualifiers against Palestine.
![Dutch flavour in Indonesia's World Cup quest](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/Tgk994ZPiCDuOtGHRopsys/DUTCH-FLAVOUR-IN-INDONESIAS-WORLD-CUP-QUEST.jpg)
Dutch flavour in Indonesia's World Cup quest
Indonesia's challenge for a first World Cup appearance in almost 90 years takes on a distinctly Dutch flavour when Shin Tae-yong's side face Saudi Arabia on Sept 5, hoping to ignite dreams of a long-awaited return to the game's greatest stage.
Leicester win appeal over Premier League's PSR jurisdiction
Leicester City have won an appeal against a decision that could have led to a points deduction for an alleged breach of English Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), the club said on Sept 3.
![School sports Teamwork key for Rafflesians at chess meet](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/CYSyKDi5cSQZJM5gew5sys/SCHOOL-SPORTS-TEAMWORK-KEY-FOR-RAFFLESIANS-AT-CHESS-MEET.jpg)
School sports Teamwork key for Rafflesians at chess meet
Raffles Girls' School (RGS) Secondary 4 student Bernadette Kong capped off her final year with a perfect four out of four wins on Sept 4, when she helped the team claim the secondary girls' title at the National Inter-School Team Chess Championships.
![WORK ETHIC IS NG'S STRONG SUIT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/ZFQnkuV7ywBAv7tC24asys/WORK-ETHIC-IS-NGS-STRONG-SUIT.jpg)
WORK ETHIC IS NG'S STRONG SUIT
Cardiff defender dreams of donning Lions jersey; playing in Premier League
![SABALENKA IN ENEMY TERRITORY AGAIN](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/Jn6A6VQL7uqV9Ndc4misys/SABALENKA-IN-ENEMY-TERRITORY-AGAIN.jpg)
SABALENKA IN ENEMY TERRITORY AGAIN
Belarusian jokes she has to buy drinks to get support against American Navarro
![Furyk sticks to rankings for Presidents Cup picks](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/aa1aUPPcdlSUp0cht5zsys/FURYK-STICKS-TO-RANKINGS-FOR-PRESIDENTS-CUP-PICKS.jpg)
Furyk sticks to rankings for Presidents Cup picks
United States captain Jim Furyk followed the form book on Sept 3 with his final wildcard selections for golf's Presidents Cup, rounding out his team based solely on team rankings.
![Sleepless Zheng eyes 'prime time' Asian slots](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/24723/1821529/p57NEl1osDa2YZl6dTzsys/SLEEPLESS-ZHENG-EYES-PRIME-TIME-ASIAN-SLOTS.jpg)
Sleepless Zheng eyes 'prime time' Asian slots
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen said that her tame US Open quarter-final exit was caused by a sleepless night following the record-setting late finish to her previous match, but predicted that she will be \"prime time\" when she gets back to China.