Manchester United’s Future Is Bright, Says Erik Ten Hag

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has declared his side enjoyed a “brilliant” season and have much to look forward to.

“We are in the right direction but there are issues in the game that we have to improve if we want to make the next step, to win trophies,” Ten Hag said on Saturday after losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City.

“We have to analyse the season, go into depth and then set the right conclusions and take action. Of course, during the season we continually are making considerations and some actions are in process. Now the season is finished and the conclusion is that we played a brilliant season.”

Despite the defeat to City at Wembley United enjoyed a highly promising season, by winning the Carabao Cup, their first trophy for six years, and finishing third to return to the Champions League next season.

“We have been working all season and we have been working day-by-day to develop and progress the team. I am very proud of where we have come from at the start of the season, from the big defeats at Brentford and at the Etihad. During the season, we had some bad defeats, City and Liverpool away. We showed today that the win against City at home was not a coincidence.”

“I have only one plan. That is to improve this club and improve this team. I will fight for it, I have my ideas and I have told the club what we have to do for that but I have to work with my staff and my players to be better for next season.”

United have begun working on improving their squad for next season and have begun to investigate signing both Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Tottenham’s Harry Kane.

But for all that United have achieved this season it still ended in disappointment with their 2-1 defeat to City at Wembley on Sunday.

“We were very competitive and had some very good organisation,” Ten Hag said. “We were hard to beat and didn’t allow much open play against the best team in the world at the moment.”

“We fought back from a going quick goal down and we are maybe the only team in the world who are capable of fighting back against City. It’s hard when you concede a goal so quickly but you see once again, the mentality and character of this team is very good. We stayed calm.”

“We could have done better in possession, I know. But that is also the next step we have to make. But I don’t think today is the day we expect criticism because we played a great game and [it has been] a fantastic season.”

“We had our opportunities with [Alejandro] Garnacho, with [Marcus] Rashford’s shot, in the end with two headers. So we had our opportunities to get the equaliser. We did everything we could and I was happy with the performance of my team.”

Ten Hag was frustrated at how United conceded their two goals to City, both scored by the German midfielder IIkay Gundogan; the first one just 13 seconds after the kick-off, and the second when he was left unmarked early in the second half.

“We win together, we lose together but we have to be better organised. It will be one of the lessons. As a team we didn’t do the jobs that we had to do. If you want to win trophies, in the big games the details make a difference. It’s hard to accept.”

“If you consider that before today, we and City had 42 wins, the difference was made today. You can tell we played a fantastic season. We have qualified for the Champions League, won a trophy and got to another final so I am very happy with the performance from my team.”

“I said to the players, I was very proud of my team, especially how they fought, how they stuck together, how they were disciplined in the defending organisation. That was brilliant.”