Erik ten Hag has acknowledged for the first time that Manchester United could emerge as Premier League title contenders this season.
Ever since Ten Hag first arrived at Old Trafford nine months ago, the Dutchman has made a top-four finish the realistic target for his first campaign as United manager.
But with the top two clubs, Manchester City and Arsenal, only five points ahead of United approaching the final third of the season, Ten Hag says his team need to make sure they are still in contention in April.
Manchester United, who face Leicester City at Old Trafford on Sunday, haven’t been Premier League champions since Sir Alex Ferguson retired a decade ago.
Asked if he thinks the title is up for grabs this season, Ten Hag said: ‘What we have to do is to put us in the right position in April, so our thinking can only be on the next game. We always have to better than the previous game, and think about game for game – that is the energy and focus.”
It means that we have to win on Sunday and we have to collect the three points against Leicester. That demands a lot of energy and it demands high standards.’
🗣️ “Our thinking can only be on the next game. We always have to be better than the previous game and think about it game by game.”
Erik ten Hag says he’s taking it game by game at Manchester United. 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/xqGLurYt3y
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 17, 2023
Manchester United go into the game off the back of a hugely encouraging 2-2 draw with Barcelona in Thursday’s Europa League play-off first leg at the Nou Camp.
Ten Hag’s side were 14 minutes away from beating Barca on home turf for the first time, and the manner in which United controlled long periods, the manager admitted that it showed United are looking more like a club that deserves to be back on the Champions League stage.
‘We are in the right direction but we have to fight for it,’ he added. ‘That is two ways: one is the Europa League the other is in the Premier League. So we know what we have to do. We have to see it game to game, and to fight to get back into the Champions League.”
‘We are in the right direction so we have to keep this process going. We will analyse again and we will criticise – what went good, what went wrong and we move on. Sunday’s the next big game.”
Casemiro will be missing against Leicester on Sunday as he completes a three-match ban, and United will assess Antony and Scott McTominay who are close to returning from injury.
