Back-to-back 1-0 defeats at Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United last week saw United’s top-four hopes descend into uncertainty.
Liverpool have won their last six – five by a one-goal margin – to close the gap on Ten Hag’s side to just one point in fifth.
But United have a game in hand and know three wins from their last four Premier League outings would be enough to finish about their bitter rivals.
Ten Hag has insisted that the focus at Carrington is on themselves rather than Liverpool’s late progress ahead of crunch clashes with Wolves, AFC Bournemouth, Chelsea and Fulham.
He said: “It’s not about Liverpool. It’s about us, and because of the table, we have everything in our hands.
“If we bring our performance and our standards, we’ll win games. We don’t have to look to others. We have to look at ourselves and find a way to win and get back to our levels.”
Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani will hope that the Glazers and the Raine Group select him as United’s preferred buyer.
He wants to complete a full takeover, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe eyes majority investment that could allow Joel and Avram Glazer to retain around 20 per cent of a stake.
And reports claim Sheikh Jassim wants to make an immediate impact on English shores by funding three blockbuster deals at Old Trafford.
He apparently dreams of handing Ten Hag Eduardo Camavinga, Kingsley Coman and Kylian Mbappe in his first transfer window as owner.
Other reports credit him as an admirer of Neymar, who wants to leave PSG this summer for a new challenge after growing unwelcome in Paris.
However, there is next to no chance that United would attract any of those four stars without Champions League football on offer.
The financial blow from missing out on Europe’s premier competition for the second successive season would be severe enough amid FFP limitations.
Ten Hag remains confident in guiding United to a successful end to the season, though, starting against Wolves at Old Trafford on Saturday.
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