Erik ten Hag is relishing his showdown with Jose Mourinho, labelling one of his Manchester United predecessors as “an example for many, many managers”.
United head to Istanbul this week to take on Fenerbahce in the Europa League, offering up a reunion with Mourinho, who took charge at the Turkish club in the summer following his sacking by Roma.
The Portuguese is one of the most decorated managers in history and while he proved a divisive figure at United during his tenure from 2016-18, he won three trophies including the Europa League in 2017.
Having drawn their first two fixtures in this season’s competition, United boss Ten Hag recognises the significance of the occasion and is looking forward to pitting his wits against Mourinho on Thursday.
“It’s a big game for both of us,” Ten Hag said at the Football Writers’ Association Northern Managers Awards dinner.
“I really enjoy facing him and playing against him. He has always good teams, he is a winner – he (has) won so many trophies – I think he is an example for many, many managers.”
Despite leading United to FA Cup glory at the end of last season, Ten Hag is again under scrutiny after an indifferent start to this campaign but the Dutchman accepts it comes with the territory.
“It is football, you have to live for now,” he said. “(What happened) is in the past, you have to prove (yourself) every day, you have to prove yourself every season so we have to go for it.
“We are at the start of the season and we will see where we end but our target is to win a trophy again.”
Some of the pressure on Ten Hag was eased on Saturday as United came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the winner.
Having shown promise in a stop-start first campaign with United, Hojlund has had an injury-disrupted start to this season and his goal at the weekend was his first in the Premier League since May.
But now Hojlund is inching closer to full fitness, Ten Hag believes the 21-year-old Dane will continue to excel.
“He will always score,” Ten Hag added. “What is important is he is keeping fit. He picked up so many injuries in the first season and when he stays fit, he will score goals because that (is) proved (in) his stats.”
Hojlund determined to put injury problems behind him
Having shown promise during a stop-start first campaign with the club he supports, the 21-year-old’s hopes of hitting the ground running this term were dashed in his first pre-season appearance.
Hojlund limped off shortly after scoring in July’s Los Angeles friendly against Arsenal, with his hamstring issue sidelining the United striker for nearly two months.
The Denmark international scored his first Premier League goal since returning to fitness in Saturday’s win and is determined to kick on.
“The injury has been annoying and it was an annoying time to get it, but obviously I feel great now and feel ready to move on,” Hojlund said.
“I tried to focus on (the fact) that I’m very privileged to be a professional footballer.
“Obviously, there’s downsides and upsides, and we get critics, but also sometimes we are superstars but all in all, I’m living the dream every day.
“I’m playing for Manchester United and having the number nine on the back for Manchester United. It’s a good life.
“I just tried to focus on that part and then also I could focus on everything else, trying to be even fitter for when I come back, doing my recovery even better. I think I’m in a great spot right now.”
Ref Watch: Were the officials at fault for De Ligt being off the pitch when Brentford scored?
INCIDENT: Matthijs De Ligt went off for treatment to a head injury and Brentford scored from a corner while Man Utd were down to 10 men.
DERMOT SAYS: “You can’t have a player bleeding. It happened in the 11th minute, he had treatment, he came back. It’s opened up again he’s gone off. And then a third time. You can’t play like that, we all know that. He has to have it bandaged in some way. They’re down to 10 and a goal resulted from it but that’s not the ref’s fault. You can’t have blood on your body, on your shirt.
“The referee has done exactly right. He’s not the villain here.”
STEPHEN WARNOCK SAYS: “The finger-pointing should be at Man Utd’s medical staff who should have put a head bandage on the right away.”