Ten Hag: Manchester United belongs to the Champions League
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said the Red Devils belong to the Champions League after they secured a top-four spot with a 4-1 Premier League victory over Chelsea on Thursday night.
Goals from Casemiro, Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford ensured United ended the season on a high having lifted the Carabao Cup in February and will face rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final next Saturday.
It marks a turnaround of fortunes since Ten Hag’s arrival last Summer and is setting sights on challenging for the Premier League and Champions League title next season, though acknowledging the team is still a work in progress.
“I have always high expectations of myself. So, I think this club belongs in the Champions League, so you have to qualify in the first four,” Ten Hag said. “But this league is very strong, and there are many teams, many clubs who are competing for that position, and they all can do it because they have high budgets, good squads.
“Oh yeah. I think in the Premier League, yeah. Something like that, that is I think the main objective of the season, to get in the Champions League. And so therefore you have to see yourself into the top four.
“Now we are far away, so we have a lot of work to do. We make progress with this team and the squad. But yeah, we need better players if we want to compete for that, for the highest.
“Manchester City, they are playing really outstanding football, so we have a way to go. We are in the right direction, but we have work to do. So, work in progress.”
United will wrap up their Premier League season at home to Fulham on Sunday afternoon.
