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
Conte hopes for Ranieri's success at Roma after Napoli clash
Antonio Conte hopes that everything will go well for Claudio Ranieri after he came out of retirement to take charge of Roma, but only after their Serie A clash this weekend.
Ranieri was tempted back into management by a return to where he began as a player. His third spell at Roma comes after the club sacked two coaches already this season and with the team 12th in the standings.
A trip to leaders Napoli is Ranieri's first task, and Conte is looking forward to meeting up with the 73-year-old.
"I am pleased to see Claudio, I have great esteem for him and there is also friendship," Conte told reporters ahead of Sunday's game.
"I am happy with the chance he has been given. It will be a tough game, for us and for them. Last year, Roma finished ahead of Napoli, they are in the Europa League and had a good transfer window.
"They are not performing according to expectations and I hope for Claudio that everything starts to work after Sunday's game."
The arrival of Ranieri in place of Ivan Juric brings with it not just the danger of the 'new manager bounce' but also upsets Conte's plans for the game.
"When a team changes coach there is an important input on a nervous level," Conte said.
"They are at the third change on the bench. It's inevitable that, if Juric had remained, we knew what kind of team we were going to face.
"Now it's an enigma, we don't have much information nor do we know how they will deal with us. So let's think about ourselves, there is a desire and enthusiasm to continue this path."
After a streak of 21 consecutive home wins in Serie A, Conte lost his last home league match (0-3 against Atalanta). Only once in his career has he recorded two consecutive home defeats in the competition: in November 2009, when he was in charge of Atalanta (against Juventus and Roma).
Napoli are top of the table, but Conte knows it is still early, and with just two points separating the top six clubs, which includes the likes of Atalanta, Fiorentina and Lazio, for now, it is a different title race than usual.
"Only 12 games have passed and there are many teams within very few points," he said.
"We are doing well, but so are the others. There isn't one team which has distanced the others. Perhaps there is a little amazement in seeing some teams in those positions in the standings."
'Right guy at the right time' - Amorim confident of changing Man Utd's fortunes
Ruben Amorim believes he is the "right guy at the right time" to turn Manchester United's fortunes around.
The 39-year-old signed a two-and-a-half-year deal earlier this month to keep him at Old Trafford until June 2027, replacing Erik ten Hag after he was sacked in October.
Amorim is the sixth permanent United manager since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, having left Sporting CP to take charge during the international break.
He won two Primeira Liga titles as Sporting head coach as well as two Taca da Liga trophies, while he led the club to a perfect start in the league this season, winning all 11 of their games.
United sit 13th in the Premier League table ahead of their trip to Ipswich Town on 15 points, though they are just four points behind Chelsea in third.
Amorim recognised the size of the task ahead of him in Manchester but is confident he can make a change.
"I'm a little bit of a dreamer and I believe in myself, and I believe in the club," he said during his first press conference.
"I think we have the same idea, the same mindset and that can help.
"I truly believe in the players; I know you don't believe a lot, but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don't think it's possible, I do.
"Call me naive, but I believe I am the right guy at the right time. I truly believe I am the right guy."
Aged 39 years and 302 days, Amorim will be the youngest to take charge of his first match for the Red Devils since Wilf McGuinness in August 1969 (31y 288d).
United have won just four of their 11 league games so far this season, and have struggled in front of goal, netting just 12 times so far.
Expected to implement his favoured 3-4-3 formation, Amorim admitted it would take time for the club to adapt and has asked for patience as the players get used to his tactics.
"I know at Manchester United we have to win games. We need a lot of time because it's a tough league, we have to improve a lot to try to win the title," he added.
"We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don't know how long it will take."
'It's a shame' - Alonso confirms Leverkusen's Boniface out with thigh injury
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso confirmed that Victor Boniface will be sidelined for some time after picking up a thigh injury on international duty with Nigeria.
Boniface, who has scored eight goals in 15 appearances in all competitions this season, was replaced late on in the Super Eagles' 2-1 defeat to Rwanda on Monday.
It is another blow for Leverkusen, who have managed 17 points from 10 games so far this season, the worst start to a league campaign in 12 years by a defending champion.
Only Omar Marmoush and Harry Kane (both 11) have scored more goals in the league than Boniface this term (six).
Alonso revealed that the 23-year-old will miss Saturday's Bundesliga encounter against Heidenheim and their Champions League tie against RB Salzburg next week.
"We will have to see how long he will be out. It is a shame," Alonso told a press conference.
"He has a thigh injury. For tomorrow, for Salzburg and maybe a bit longer. We will have to wait and see.
"It is too early to say but we hope he can still play this year. We have to see with the recovery and improvement but it is not a matter of six or eight weeks."
Leverkusen have dropped points in six Bundesliga games already this season (D5, L1), as often as they did during the entirety of their 2023-24 title-winning campaign (D6).
They come into this weekend's fixture against Heidenheim on a three-game winless run in the Bundesliga (D3), the first time they have gone this long without a victory since between April and May 2023 (five games).
Leverkusen sit fourth in the Bundesliga, already nine points behind leaders Bayern Munich as the busy festive schedule kickstarts on Saturday.
Alonso's side have eight games in just under a month, including a DFB-Pokal round of 16 clash with Bayern at the start of December.
"Eight games in four weeks. It is nothing new for us," Alonso said. "An intense phase is coming up for us and it starts tomorrow.
"We have clear goals for the Bundesliga, the Champions League and the German Cup."
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