MY ACCOUNT
Erik ten Hag wants to concentrate on building a better version of Manchester United rather than growing talk of a Premier League title challenge.
United are five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, albeit having played a game more, after cruising to a 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday.
Marcus Rashford scored twice for United to take his tally for the season to a career-best 24 goals, giving the Red Devils control in a game that saw David de Gea twice prevent Leicester from taking the lead with fine first-half saves.
Jadon Sancho came off the bench in the second half to seal the points, sending United into a huge week on a high.
Ten Hag’s men face Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday, having drawn the first leg 2-2, and then take on Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley three days later.
United are still in the hunt on four fronts, but Ten Hag is not paying any mind to discussion about a Premier League push.
“We don’t think about that, we think about tomorrow, we have to be a better version of ourselves and that is what we have to work for,” Ten Hag told the BBC.
“We are in February, don’t look far ahead.”
While Rashford played a starring role, Bruno Fernandes was an excellent supporting actor, registering seven key passes and two assists in a game that saw 45 shots, the most in the Premier League since United’s clash with Burnley in October 2016 (also 45).
“Leicester is a great team, they played really well and made it really tough for us,” added Ten Hag. “It was also by us, we didn’t follow the rules and the principles of the game from our way of play and then you get punished.
“We were lucky, and it is only because of David de Gea that we don’t concede a goal. Great saves, we were not disciplined, and it is not right.
“We came in at half-time and said it. We were 1-0 up, we knew also how to beat them because there was a lot of space in the midfield and behind their defending line. It was a good [opening] goal, once again a great pass from Bruno, great goal from Rashy and then we are 1-0 up. The second half was all us and Bruno Fernandes played a magnificent game.
“The team is putting Rashford in the right positions, especially Bruno, he creates how many passes, he gives behind, he crosses in. Not only Bruno but I think he is doing a great job.
“We need all players in form, but we have to follow the principles of our way of play and if we do that, we can play very well and we have seen that in the second half.”
