Erik ten Hag has done what Spurs need at Manchester United today: improved standards on the pitch. Credit: Getty Images/Soccrates Images
While it's clear Manchester United would love to see a center forward of the stature of Harry Kane lead their line, Spurs can be forgiven for throwing envious glances at the opposition dugout in the stadium Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night.
Envy and more than a little regret. Tottenham interviewed Erik ten Hag two years ago when they were looking to replace José Mourinho but dropped the then Ajax manager for reasons that don't look too smart in hindsight and instead appointed Nuno Espirito Santo, who lasted just four months.
Given the same opportunity, United saw something in Ten Hague that Spurs didn't, and the loss of one club — most would agree — was a gain for another. Ten Hag's first season at Old Trafford was not without injury.
However, Ten Hag also had a clear upward trajectory and some of his early accomplishments at United — not least the first trophy in six years and the possibility of a second with the FA Cup Final against Manchester City on 3 June — it's exactly what Tottenham are longing for as they contemplate where to turn next after the dirtiest of seasons.
The Newcastle fiasco forced Tottenham to take the unprecedented step of undertaking a second management change in less than in a month, and interim head coach Christian Stellini was sacked just 29 days after he was named short-term replacement for Antonio Conte.
That means it will be up to manager Ryan Mason to beat United and improve their chances of success in the top four in the process, but Spurs fans may wonder if things might have turned out differently if their club hadn't changed. turned up their noses at Ten Hag.
While United believe that Ten Hag is definitely present, his lack of charisma has been cited as one of the factors behind Tottenham's decision to look elsewhere. That, as well as language difficulties, as his English is considered no more than adequate.
On the contrary, United believe that Ten Hag's directness was empty, because there is no ambiguity in what he said. speaks and that his communication skills are one of his greatest strengths.
Speak to some Old Trafford staff and they'll be tempted to roll their eyes at such Spurs arguments — after all, making excuses isn't unusual when you're trying to explain decisions that backfired — but all that worries Ten Hag now is to find him past Tottenham.
"Obviously, they suffered a very heavy defeat" said the United manager. "They are insane, and that can be the fuel to bounce back. But it's all about us, and the enemy can never be more hungry than us.
This was not the case with United's heavy defeats to Brentford, City, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sevilla, but no one expected this season to be an easy one for Ten Hag and wider improvement players and mentality is what Spurs chairman Daniel Levy desperately wants to see in north London.
This is an important week for both clubs. A Tottenham defeat could end their four hopes, while United's victories over Spurs and high-flying Aston Villa on Sunday will go a long way in getting Ten Hag's side over the line.
< p>A repeat of what is arguably their highest-scoring performance of the campaign against the Spurs in October wouldn't hurt.Twelve months from now, Ten Hag hopes to be in a position where « Manchester City and Arsenal were on Wednesday night fighting for the title, not in a top four battle, but he knows they can't run until they can walk. “At the moment we can't dream of it.”
"We know where Manchester United should be, but the reality is we're in the wrong place. Therefore, we need to work hard to return to our original place"
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