Erik ten Hag insists his Man United players are not scarred by their 7-0 thrashing at Liverpool last season… and he hasn’t made them sit through the video of shambolic Anfield collapse!

• Seven-goal Anfield defeat back in March equalled heaviest in United’s history 
• Manager Ten Hag was in bullish mood ahead of their return there on Sunday 
• Manchester United fans must be DREADING Anfield trip – It’s All Kicking Off 

Erik ten Hag insists his players will not be haunted by their 7-0 nightmare at Anfield in March when they return to Merseyside to face Liverpool on Sunday.

United clash with their bitter rivals following back-to-back defeats against Bayern Munich and Bournemouth, which have piled more pressure on Ten Hag.

He goes back to Anfield without captain Bruno Fernandes, who is suspended, and a number of senior players who are injured. 

Harry Maguire sustained a groin injury against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, joining Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount on the sidelines. However, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford are expected to be fit.

United fans could be forgiven for approaching the fixture with some dread, but Ten Hag was in bullish mood at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

Manchester United suffered a nightmare afternoon at Anfield when they lost 7-0 back in March

That seven-goal thrashing was the joint-heaviest suffered by United in their entire history

United captain Bruno Fernandes threw a hissy fit at Anfield in March but will be suspended for Sunday’s return visit

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‘I haven’t seen last season that we were scared,’ insisted Ten Hag, who said he had not put his players through a video replay of the debacle.

‘It was a bad experience but it is not similar. We start again on 0-0. Last year, in the first-half we did very decent and then got hammered just after half-time and collapsed.

‘That can’t happen but last year was a different team, different players. We will not ignore it, but we have confidence to go there from the start to the end. We have to fight there, to challenge there. We will prepare them to win there.

‘Last year is last year the past, what we can change is the future. Liverpool are playing good, no doubt, but we have had some more tough games in the last period. 

Memories of Mohamed Salah and Co tearing them to shreds in the 7-0 win remain fresh

Ten Hag said he’d not forced his players to sit through a re-run of the 7-0 loss from March

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‘These players have proved they can deal with that (the atmosphere), and Sunday is the next challenge.

‘I think everyone is highly motivated when you go to Anfield. It is a great place to go. We know it is going to be tough, that challenge is what every top footballer wants to have, so we have to look forward. 

‘Last year we take that in our memory but you have to also take the benefit from it, and learn from it.

‘We will put our team who can challenge, who is confident to win the game. So we prepare the team the best way we can, and we are confident we can put out a team that can win there.’

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