Ten Hag denies sentiment United have major gap to close on City

'No, I don’t think so, absolutely not. You can see we have many problems in injuries and still we had an opportunity to win the game,' said Erik ten Hag.

Mon, 04 Mar, 2024 - 07:41

Richard Tanner

Erik ten Hag denied Manchester United have a huge gap to close on their neighbours after the latest derby defeat intensified the pressure on his position as manager.

Ten Hag pointed to the injuries to key players that have undermined United this season and claimed they were denied a possible 2-0 lead at the Etihad yesterday when Marcus Rashford was pushed over by Kyle Walker when clean through.

Referee Andrew Madley waved play on - backed by a VAR review - and moments later Phil Foden equalised to spark City's impressive fightback.

Asked if City's 3-1 win underlined the chasm between the two clubs, he said: "No, I don’t think so, absolutely not. You can see we have many problems in injuries and still we had an opportunity to win the game.

"It's a case of really small margins, we could have scored the second goal in a debatable moment. It’s not that big [the gap] and when we have everyone on board we can be competitive. I think also we showed that in last season's FA Cup final against them when it was really close but City, in this moment, the best team in the world. Don’t forget this."

"It [the Rashford-Walker incident] was very soft. But when you are in a full-speed run and you get a little touch and then you are out of control. That’s what I think happened."

Predictably, Ten Hag refused to give up hopes of salvaging Champions League qualification from a disastrous season.

Failure to secure a top-four place has cost predecessors like David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal their jobs and with new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe clear on his ambitions to guide the club back to the top in the domestic and European game, Ten Hag's position looks under serious threat.

United are 11 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and six behind fifth-placed Tottenham but Ten Hag added: "We faced the same questions in January and caught them up. It can be a quick turnaround.

"Every game is a 'final' for us and we have to try and get closer to them. It can be an advantage that fifth spot can also be a Champions League spot, so we have to go for it and we have to win our games."

City boss Pep Guardiola praised Foden's development - he now has a career-best 18 goals for the season.

"I always had the feeling he would score goals," he said. "But now he is winning games. To become a world-class player you have to win games.

"He always had an incredible work ethic, it doesn’t matter what position he plays in, he lives to play football but now he is winning games."