On Sunday, following their 3-0 win over Leicester, social media videos surfaced of Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, raising his arms and enthusiastically shouting a message of encouragement to the fans. He then proceeded to head down the tunnel at Old Trafford.
This marks the beginning of an important week for Erik ten Hag’s noteworthy first season as manager at Manchester United, with the team facing two crucial matches. When asked about his message, Ten Hag explained that it was an appeal to the fans to show up for the big game on Thursday against Barcelona and that they would triumph together.
On Thursday, the top team in La Liga will visit Old Trafford for their second-leg Europa League playoff match. Then, just three days later, Manchester United will face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, with the aim of ending their six-year dry spell without a trophy.
Off the pitch, Friday marked a significant moment as takeover bids were submitted for the club. In response, the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust issued a statement on Sunday, insisting that any potential buyer must make a clear commitment to supporting Erik ten Hag and his efforts to restore the club to its former glory.
Against Leicester, Manchester United supporters chanted “Wembley, Wembley, we’re the famous Man United and we’re off to Wembley.” Despite needing two world-class saves from David de Gea to stay in the game, United emerged victorious thanks to two goals from Marcus Rashford and one from Jadon Sancho.
Rashford, who is an England international, is currently in the best form of his career, having scored 24 goals this season. However, Bruno Fernandes’ outstanding performances have been somewhat overlooked, as the Portuguese playmaker contributed two more assists during Sunday’s game.
Manchester United displayed both offensive prowess and defensive solidity in their victory over Leicester, securing their 10th clean sheet of the season in the league. This is two more than they managed during the entirety of the previous campaign.
During the first half of the game, Ten Hag’s team struggled to establish control in midfield, likely due to the absence of Casemiro, their midfield maestro who was suspended. However, his return from suspension is anticipated to provide a boost to the team as they prepare to face the Magpies.
In recent seasons, United’s status as one of Europe’s top teams has diminished due to poor managerial decisions and a string of bad signings. Nevertheless, under Ten Hag’s leadership, they appear to be on the road to recovery and poised to reclaim their position at the top of the game.
As a former Ajax manager with a no-nonsense approach, Ten Hag has succeeded in cultivating a winning mentality within the Manchester United team. Their impressive record of 27 victories across all competitions this season is unmatched by any other team in Europe’s top five leagues.
If they manage to beat Barcelona, United will remain in the running to win the Europa League. A victory over Newcastle would also give them their first major trophy since their triumph in the 2017 Europa League under the guidance of Jose Mourinho.
As stated by Manager Ten Hag in the matchday programme, Manchester United is the only team in Europe’s top five leagues that has the opportunity to win all four trophies. Their upcoming match against struggling West Ham in the fifth round of the FA Cup on 1st March presents another chance to move closer to this goal.
At the beginning of the campaign, the team’s primary objective in the league was likely to secure a top-four finish.
Be with us on Thursday.
Enough said.#MUFC || #MondayMotivation https://t.co/eqE9MRexXR pic.twitter.com/D9qBUZqZXR
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 20, 2023
