Ten Hag says other managers also under top four ´big pressure´
United eased into the quarter-finals of the League Cup with a 2-0 win over Burnley on Wednesday
LONDON: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said on Friday he is far from alone among Premier League coaches in facing pressure to deliver a top-four finish.
United resume their Premier League campaign after the World Cup break at home to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday. The Red Devils are fifth, three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand.
United finished sixth last season and failed to qualify for the Champions League.
A top-four finish that would ensure a return to European football´s elite competition is one of the key staging posts in Ten Hag´s mission to restore past glories.
Asked if United´s history created more pressure, Ten Hag told reporters: "I accept it, how it is.
"But I think also for the manager of Chelsea (Graham Potter), of Newcastle (Eddie Howe), all those clubs invest a lot in their squad. So for every manager it´s a big pressure to get into the Champions League, that´s clear.
"You want to be in the top four, to fight for trophies, and that´s our aim."
"We are aware the competition is tough, but I think it counts for all the seven, eight clubs who are fighting for the top four.
"You have to really battle for every duel to get your points. I´m looking at the process, how we´re performing, and of course we have to get the results as well. But if the process is right, when we get the right progress, I think we have a good chance to get into that top four."
United eased into the quarter-finals of the League Cup with a 2-0 win over Burnley on Wednesday in their first competitive match since the World Cup.
Neither of United´s World Cup finalists, Lisandro Martinez, an unused substitute for Argentina, and Raphael Varane, a member of the France side that lost on penalties, were in the squad against Burnley and Ten Hag would not say if they would be back against Forest.
"I can´t answer that question now," he said when asked about Martinez.
"He has been celebrating in Buenos Aires."
"It´s the highest you can achieve. But also, Lisandro has to understand that on December 27th the Premier League is back!"
Ten Hag said Varane, a World Cup winner in 2018, could also be proud.
"Of course he is disappointed about losing but I think also he can be proud that he was again in that final and of all that he achieved already in his career."
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