Erik ten Hag has told his Manchester United players they cannot afford to let their performance levels drop when they face struggling Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday.
United snapped a three-game winless streak in the Premier League, including a 7-0 hammering at fierce rivals Liverpool, with a 1-0 victory over Brentford in midweek.
That moved the Red Devils into fourth place, three points clear of Tottenham with a game in hand in the battle for Champions League football next season.
But Ten Hag warned there is still plenty of work to do in United's remaining 10 games, starting with this weekend's visit of an Everton side fighting for survival.
"You have to do it every game and that means preparation, but it has to be the standard," Ten Hag said of his side's mentality. "You're playing for Man United, so there's the demand.
"No ifs or buts. A player must deliver when you play for Manchester United. You must be accountable. It's about demands, so we must match standards always.
"For a player playing at the top, competing for trophies, competing for the Premier League, you have to do it always, consistently. It's our job to bring that mentality in."
Everton followed up a 2-2 draw away at Chelsea prior to the international break with a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham, but they are only outside the relegation on goal difference.
The Toffees are unbeaten in four league games – their best run since a run of six that ended on October 1 – and boss Sean Dyche wants them to continue with the same mindset.
"It is about the mentality on a daily basis and taking that into games," he said. "We work at a certain level in training; we want that to go into every game we play.
"It's a different mindset for me and the work we do and the work to progress where we want to be. I think that work is in progress."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester United - Christian Eriksen
Ten Hag revealed on the eve of the game that Eriksen will be part of United's squad for the first time since injuring his ankle at the end of January, having made a swifter-than-expected return.
The Denmark international was a key player for United prior to his lay-off, assisting seven goals and scoring one of his own in 19 Premier League appearances.
Everton - Alex Iwobi
Iwobi has gone six league games without a goal involvement for Everton, but there is no denying his influence in the side.
Among Everton players in the league this season, the Nigeria international ranks top for possession won in the final third (26), chances created (47) and successful take-ons (41).
MATCH PREDICTION - UNITED WIN
Everton have undoubtedly improved under Dyche, having collected 12 points from their nine Premier League matches since he took over, which is seven more than they managed in their final 12 under Frank Lampard.
United have won all three matches in the early Saturday kick-off slot this season, including victory over Manchester City in January, and they are unbeaten in 24 games at Old Trafford in all competitions.
The Red Devils have also lost just one of their past 29 Premier League home games against Everton, with that coming in December 2013, though each of the past three fixtures between the sides in Manchester have finished all square.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
United - 52.7 per cent
Everton - 20.6 per cent
Draw - 26.7 per cent
Casemiro hits back at critics over Man Utd performances
Casemiro has hit back at the "disrespectful" critics over comments made about his recent Manchester United performances.
The Red Devils have come under pressure for a poor run of form in recent weeks, with Casemiro one of the players singled out, in particular for his performance in the 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
Casemiro enjoyed a successful first campaign with United, finishing third and lifting the EFL Cup, but the club are currently in danger of suffering their lowest-ever Premier League finish in eighth place.
"I was considered one of the best signings of the Premier League last season, and now I'm not worth anything anymore?" Casemiro told Sky Sports.
"The criticism is disrespectful. So, when it's lacking respect, then it's worrying, and I don't have to respect that either."
Casemiro was also recently left out of Dorival Junior’s Brazil squad for this year’s Copa America.
United finish their Premier League season away at Brighton on Sunday before facing Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25.
IPL: Sunrisers cruise to victory to boost second-place hopes
Sunrisers Hyderabad eased to a four-wicket win over Punjab Kings on Sunday to boost their chances of finishing second in the Indian Premier League.
Prabhsimran Singh helped Punjab set a target of 215, but Hyderabad chased that down with relative ease to go second, a position they will finish in should Rajasthan Royals lose to the table-topping Kolkata Knight Riders later on Sunday.
After the Sunrisers won the toss and put Punjab in to bat, Prabhsimran top scored with 71 runs from 45 deliveries, while Atharva Taide (46 off 27) and Rilee Roussouw (49 from 24) also impressed as the Kings, already out of playoff contention, finished on 214/5.
Hyderabad's chase got off to a terrible start as Travis Head was bowled with the first ball of the innings, but the Sunrisers' other opener Abhishek Sharma helped to steady the ship alongside Rahul Tripathi.
Abhishek smashed his way to 66 off 28 deliveries before he was dismissed, while an important innings from Heinrich Klaasen (42 from 26) set the Sunrisers up for victory.
Abdul Samad and Sanvir Singh finished the job as the Sunrisers reached their target with five balls to spare, and they can now look ahead to their playoff campaign.
Data debrief: Abhishek wastes no time
The Sunrisers overcame Head's second IPL golden duck thanks to a brilliant innings from Abhishek, who reached his half-century in just 21 balls and finished with a strike rate of 235.71.
Tripathi and Klaasen achieved strike rates of 183.33 and 161.53 respectively, while Nitish Kumar Reddy also finished with 37 from 25 deliveries as Hyderabad made light work of a daunting target.
Chelsea players must set ego aside or 'situation will hardly change', Silva warns
The departing Thiago Silva warned Chelsea's players to set their egos aside, or their "situation will hardly change" next season.
Silva, who will return to hometown club Fluminense in the close season, is gearing up for his final appearance for the Blues after four years at Stamford Bridge, where they host Bournemouth on the final day of the 2023-24 campaign.
A draw would be enough for sixth-place Chelsea to secure a return to European football next season, while they could still overtake Tottenham in fifth with a win and Spurs losing to bottom side Sheffield United.
But despite a positive end to the campaign, during which they have won four successive games and lost just one of their last 14, Mauricio Pochettino's side are a whopping 28 points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
Silva believes the club deserves better, having spent over £400 million on no fewer than 13 players over the past year, and has urged the squad to prioritise teamwork over their personal ambitions next term.
"I hope [the players] understand that everything they did to get to Chelsea has to be worth it," he told Sky Sports. "Because the season we're having is not worthy of Chelsea. I think they need to do more next year.
"These boys need to be aware that Chelsea has to fight for [for trophies] in the top positions. If we take a little of our ego and put it in favour of the team, I think it will work. If we don't do that, the situation will hardly change, unfortunately."
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