Erik ten Hag is confident that his careful planning will keep Manchester United on track for a top-four finish and trophies during the World Cup break.
Erik ten Hag and his team return to Premier League action on December 27 at Old Trafford against Nottingham Forest after a 38-day break after defeating Burnley 2-0 in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
Before the break, Ten Hag did everything he could to help Manchester United qualify for the Champions League.
Ten Hag admitted on Friday that the mid-season break was difficult, but he and his coaching staff have a plan in place to manage the players’ workload.
He said:
It’s all individual-based, no one is the same, no one had the same programme or minutes, and they play in different positions and are different ages. We tried to give everyone a plan, but we all know the restart is five or six days after the World Cup final.
The Premier League resumes really quickly so everyone has to be ready for that, the manager, coaching staff, and players have to accept that.
We want trophies, we want to have a strong team to battle for trophies. We have to adapt, do it smartly, and hopefully, we can perform and get the right results.
Ten Hag is more confident than ever that United will win their first trophy since 2017 after reaching the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
With a top-four finish required to end their one-season absence from the Champions League, starting their Premier League campaign with a win over Nottingham Forest is critical.
Ten Hag is prepared for the fight ahead and understands the significance of such achievements.
He said:
We are aware the competition is tough, but it counts for all the seven, eight clubs fighting for the top four.
For all those that watch the Premier League, it is great because it will be exciting. You have to battle for every duel to get your points.
I am looking at the process, how we are performing – we have to get results – but if we make the right progress, we have a good chance to get into the top four.
Manchester United’s pursuit of a top-four finish will resume on Tuesday, December 27, when Nottingham Forest visits Old Trafford. The game will begin at 21:00.
Manchester United had eight wins, two draws, and four defeats prior to the World Cup break in November. They scored 26 points in 14 games thanks to their above-average play. They are currently fifth in the league, three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
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