Erik ten Hag is praised in the English media after Manchester United’s derby win against Manchester City. The manager of United awaits another cracker in the Premier League on Sunday: a visit to leader Arsenal.
United’s derby win has put them nine points behind list leader Arsenal, but given the current form of The Mancunians, the English media certainly do not rule out Ten Hag’s team for the title. The last time United became champions of England was in the 2012/13 season.
The fact that the victory over City was partly due to a controversial offside moment, about which Ten Hag and his City colleague Pep Guardiola did not agree afterwards, does not detract from United’s performance, according to The Daily Mail. “One controversial moment, one goal or one match doesn’t define this United. Nothing changes the fact that Ten Hag has put United back on the map as a big club. The sleeping giant is awake thanks to the dynamic Ten Hag,” they added.
United in the title race?
“Ten Hag is now trying to play down United’s title chances, but that is getting harder every week after nine wins in a row,” said the British daily. The Guardian sees United operating more and more as a close-knit collective under Ten Hag. “Ten Hag’s United have learned to suffer and to deal with difficult moments,” they added.
“There is a team that realizes that cooperation is necessary to take steps,” the newspaper writes. “Against City, Ten Hag’s United showed discipline for ninety minutes against an opponent with more than 70 percent possession.”
The Independent sees United’s purchasing policy as an important factor in the rise of The Red Devils since United’s arrival. After the restructuring of Erik ten Hag, United is again a team with true leaders. Sir Alex Ferguson’s best teams also combined technical and physical qualities with strong character and key candidates for the captaincy. From the maturity of Christian Eriksen to the fearlessness of Lisandro Martinez, Ten Hag has attracted multiple different types of leaders. Casemiro is the kind of general in midfield who exudes authority.
