Ten Hag: 'Man Utd are back in the race for the Premier League top 4'

He believes Man Utd have not completely overcome the difficult period, but coach Erik ten Hag is confident about the race for a ticket to the Champions League next season.

United are unbeaten in 2024, beating Wigan 2-0 and Newport County 4-2 in the FA Cup, drawing 2-2 with Tottenham, beating Wolves 4-3, West Ham 3-0 and Aston Villa 2-1 in the Premier League. The win over Aston Villa was the first away win against a top-six club under Ten Hag and helped United close the gap to fourth place to six points.

"It's too early to say that Man Utd have overcome the difficult period, but the team is back in the top 4 race. I feel the team is on the right track," Ten Hag said at a press conference before the match against Luton Town in round 25 of the Premier League.

Coach Ten Hag talks with his assistant at Carrington training ground, Manchester on February 16. Photo: manutd.com — Coach Ten Hag talks with his assistant at Carrington training ground, Manchester on February 16. Photo: *manutd.com*

Injuries had a negative impact on performances and results at the start of the season, but the return of Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire has lifted United in the first two months of the new year. The Red Devils had their full squad for the first time this season against Wolves, but in the next match, they lost centre-back Lisandro Martinez to a knee injury.

"I believe that with the strongest squad, Man Utd have enough quality to compete for the top four positions. I have always believed that throughout the season, but now the whole team has to prove it on the pitch," Ten Hag added.

According to the Dutch coach, the restrictions in the summer transfer market have slowed down Man Utd's challenge for the Premier League title. In the summer of 2023, the Old Trafford team spent 230 million USD to strengthen their squad - the fifth most in the Premier League - helping them have a promising first season under Ten Hag, finishing third in the league and winning the League Cup.

This summer, Man Utd prioritized the signing of Harry Kane, but ended up buying Rasmus Hojlund for a total fee of £60m from Atalanta. They also brought in Mason Mount from Chelsea, Andre Onana from Inter Milan and Altay Bayındır from Fenerbahce.

Asked how long it would take to become Premier League title contenders, Ten Hag replied: "It's difficult. In the summer, we had good momentum after winning the League Cup and reaching the FA Cup final. We decided to bring in young players for the future because of the impact of Financial Fair Play (FFP). This means Man Utd need more time to enter the top group of clubs in the league."

The 54-year-old coach also believes that the growth of players from the club's training academy, such as Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho, and their ability to shine and break into the first team will help Man Utd save on shopping costs.

"Man Utd always want to strengthen, but players from the academy are always given a chance if they deserve it. That's the DNA of Man Utd," Ten Hag said. "We train them and when they get a chance, they improve very quickly and take the team to the next level. I think Man Utd have other young players who can make the big steps that Mainoo and Garnacho have made in the last few months."

Hong Duy

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