Ten Hag heaps praise on Man Utd rival

Cameron Smith

• 21 Oct 2024 12:00 BST
• 3 min read

Erik ten Hag has heaped praise on Jose Mourinho ahead of Manchester United’s trip to face Fenerbahce on Thursday.

The Dutchman eased the pressure on his shoulders with a 2-1 win over Brentford this weekend, but sack talk remains rife and Ten Hag will need a positive result in Turkey to ensure his future at Old Trafford remains safe.

The former Ajax boss survived a crisis meeting between INEOS chiefs during the October international break and he is set to be given time to turn Man Utd’s fortunes around after their worst start in Premier League history.

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Alongside their league struggles, Man Utd have also endured a tough start to life in the Europa League, with back-to-back draws against FC Twente and FC Porto, and Ten Hag will be hoping to secure all three points when he faces Mourinho on Thursday.

Ahead of the clash, the Dutchman was full of praise for his opposite number, with Ten Hag relishing the opportunity to go head-to-head with ‘The Special One’ for the first time in his career.

“It's a big game for both of us,” Ten Hag told the Football Writers’ Association.

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“I really enjoy facing him and to play against him. He always has good teams; he is a winner and has won so many trophies.

“He's an example for many managers, so I will really enjoy playing against him.”

Ten Hag reveals Man Utd’s 2024-25 goals

In addition to his praise of Mourinho, Ten Hag also stated that Man Utd are aiming to win a trophy for the third consecutive season, despite their wobbly start to the campaign.

“You have to live for now in football, so it's [trophies] all in the past, but you have to prove every day, prove yourself every season, so we have to go for it,” he admitted.

“We are just at the start of the season, but of course, that is a target, to win a trophy again. The spirit has always been high, but of course, it helps, the mood will be better if we win.

“Everyone has high expectations of our team so we have to win every game and go for it. We have to be determined and when we win, we enjoy it for 24 hours and then we move on.”