Coach Erik ten Hag expects the away trip to Aston Villa in round 24 of the Premier League today to be a place for talents Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho to begin to develop their great potential.
After doubling the lead in the 3-0 win over West Ham in Round 23, Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo sat on the Old Trafford advertising board to celebrate. It instantly became an iconic moment that will be talked about for years to come.
But whether it is the start of a new era of success for United, or just a brief glimmer of promise that will soon fade, will depend on the talented trio, the team around them and the work of Ten Hag. There are signs of improvement but at United, results and trophies are a given.
From left, Hojlund, Garnacho and Mainoo celebrate together during the West Ham match. Photo: AFP
That was also the message that Ten Hag emphasized during a conversation with Sky Sports reporters at Man Utd's training ground. At that time, his team was still warming up after a snowy outdoor training session at Carrington. According to the Dutch coach, these are difficult training conditions heading into the decisive stage of the season.
Back-to-back wins over Wolves and West Ham have boosted morale and given the team confidence, but United are still eight points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and must win away from home if they are to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
"We have some interesting players," Ten Hag smiled when asked about Hojlund (21), Garnacho (19) and Mainoo (18) celebrating goals by sitting on the advertising board. "We have had some highlights like that this season, like Garnacho's overhead kick against Everton. United have players with great potential and now they have to perform at a high level. We have to do that in some games, like against Aston Villa, who are very good opponents. So the challenge now is to perform well at Villa Park."
Ten Hag understands the power, drive and importance that young players can bring to a team. It has been a focus of the Dutchman since his time at Ajax and has long been the foundation of his success at Man Utd. Combined with the experience of players like Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, it could be a winning formula.
"They bring energy," said Ten Hag. "I think a team always needs a combination of experience and great potential. And when they respect each other and want to improve together, then you have a strong team and that's always the goal. Every player knows when their team can perform at a higher level and achieve more success."
Coach Erik ten Hag shakes hands with Alejandro Garnacho after the match against West Ham in round 24 of the Premier League. Photo: AFP
Another key ingredient is goals. And in Hojlund, United appear to have found their centre-forward of choice and are slowly making their mark in the Premier League. The Danish striker has been on the scoresheet in the Champions League group stages, but it is his four goals in his last four Premier League games that have earned him praise.
That run of goals began against Aston Villa on Boxing Day, when the 21-year-old turned and volleyed home a 3-2 win at Old Trafford. As if relieved of his first Premier League goal, a red-faced Hojlund ran into the crowd, punching the air repeatedly and shouting. His teammates followed suit, even goalkeeper Andre Onana running up to celebrate.
Not only Hojlund, Man Utd's attack line is also in good form. In the last four matches, the front three of Hojlund, Marcus Rashford and Garnacho have a total of ten goals and three assists, compared to three times contributing to goals in the previous period.
“Football is about coordination,” Ten Hag explains. “Finding space by moving, passing the ball and putting players in positions where they can attack opponents or in one-on-one situations. And then those players have the ability to score.”
Finding that familiar bond on the pitch has been a problem for United throughout the season due to injuries. Ten Hag was not happy to have his full squad available for the first time this season against Wolves, but the Dutch coach was without centre-back Lisandro Martinez in the next game due to a knee injury.
"That stops the progress," Ten Hag said of the injuries. "Every time you change the formation, you lose the routine, the synergy and that's what we've had to go through. I think Man Utd have used nine centre-back pairings this season. In other positions, we've had to change a lot. So I hope Man Utd can keep a stable team."
The Red Devils will certainly need to be at their best when they travel to Villa Park. Ten Hag praised his colleague Unai Emery for doing an "incredible" job in helping Aston Villa soar this season, with resounding victories over Man City and Arsenal. The 54-year-old coach is also wary of Aston Villa's hunger and determination to win after being knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea in midweek.
But Ten Hag stressed that this is the time for United to need their rising stars to shine. "We knew we could beat them," he said, recalling the Boxing Day win over Aston Villa. "But Sunday is a new game. It's a test. We have to take our chances."
Hong Duy (according to Sky Sports )
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