Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has provided additional insights into his heated altercation with Anthony Martial during their match against Newcastle.

The Red Devils faced the Magpies on Saturday at St James Park, where the hosts secured a narrow 1-0 victory, with Anthony Gordon scoring the decisive goal in the 55th minute.

Manchester Evening News has reported that Martial's lacklustre attempt to track Fabian Schar's run led to a confrontation between ten Hag and the French forward during the first half of the game.

The intensity of the clash prompted United's staff to instruct Ramsus Hojlund to warm up, indicating a potential substitution for Martial.

However, despite his poor performance in the opening exchanges, Martial continued to play in the second half.

This incident added a layer of drama to United's weekend clash against Newcastle, following a recent setback in the Champions League.

Speaking on his incident with Martial, ten Hag downplayed the aggressive clash, suggesting that he was looking to reenergize the team."It's not about Anthony Martial; it's about the team," he said.

"I try to energise the team and try to get a reaction from the team at this moment. As you see, we had a tough period, and when you're coaching, you are a little more aggressive, so that's normal," he added.