Ten Hag's incredible City and Liverpool premonition

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:01 CDT
• 3 min read

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United just won their local derby over Manchester City, while Liverpool trail them by 10 points in the Premier League, making the Dutchman's words last summer seem particularly prescient.

Ten Hag replaced Ralf Rangnick in the Old Trafford hotseat in April and wasted little time in stamping his authority on the squad, most notably side-lining Cristiano Ronaldo, who has since joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

With Man City having won four of the last five Premier League titles, Liverpool the other, they were naturally seen as two significant obstacles Ten Hag would have to overcome if United were to rise back to the top of English football under him. The title drought at Old Trafford now stretches almost 10 years.

READ: Erik ten Hag: Man Utd manager sets club record

End of an era?

"I admire them both, Manchester City and Liverpool," he said when pressed on the topic at the time. "But you always see an era come to an end."

Whilst it is premature to call United's victory over City on Saturday a shifting of the sands, at least in terms of local bragging rights, it was certainly a sea change compared to the 6-3 drubbing Pep Guardiola's side gave Ten Hag's in October.

It also left Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League, with the possibility of stretching their lead on City to eight points should they win their game in hand at North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

READ: Guardiola planned to leave Man City for Barca

"I don't care about the Premier League and the Carabao Cup, we cannot win," Guardiola told Des Kelly on BT Sport after the United reverse. "We won a lot, so it's not a problem."

Liverpool, meanwhile, are off their worst ever Premier League start under Jurgen Klopp, with Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Brighton leaving them in ninth, 16 points off Arsenal's league-setting pace.

United have now won each of their last seven games in all competitions, dropping just 10 of the last 48 possible points in the Premier League. Can the make the coming era theirs? If Arsenal win the title with City and Liverpool flagging, it would be just another bad solution for Red Devils fans.