Matthijs de Ligt: Pressure at Man Utd is on another level

De Ligt, brought to the club by manager Erik ten Hag, has struggled to find consistency in his performances. This echoes the broader issues plaguing the squad, with United languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

The team finds itself alarmingly closer to the relegation zone than the coveted top-four positions.

Ten Hag, who previously worked with de Ligt, played a crucial role in securing the defender's move to Manchester United.

Despite their past success, de Ligt's transition to the Premier League has been challenging, compounded by the team's overall inconsistency on the pitch.

Reflecting on the current state of the club, de Ligt noted a pervasive negativity surrounding Manchester United.

He acknowledged the toll this atmosphere has taken on the players as they strive to improve their fortunes in a difficult campaign.

"Man United fit really well with the clubs I have been at already," De Ligt told Football Focus. "Ajax, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, they are all the same bracket.

"At every club that I have played, the pressure has been really high. To be fair at United, it is perhaps the highest it has been especially because United is still, and historically, the biggest club in England.

"The way we have performed this year, we know, has not been good enough so what happens then is that the pressure becomes bigger and bigger and bigger so you feel it more. It is a lot more negative than positive and you can feel it as a player.

"The only thing that I am happy about is that I didn't make the step from Ajax to here because maybe it would have been too much. It is similar to when I was in Italy in those first three months I could not make a mistake because I was signed for £75m.

"I learned from failure and disappointment to deal with the critics and I think that helped me a lot in this situation."  

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