Erik ten Hag is applying the final touches to his Manchester United side as they prepare to face Manchester City in what will be the first derby of the season.
Ten Hag has impressed supporters in the last couple of weeks, arresting United’s disastrous start to the season to record four straight wins in the Premier League. As a result, he won the Manager of the Month for September, with Marcus Rashford winning the equivalent award for the players.
In those four games, summer signing Lisandro Martinez is a player who has immediately endeared himself to supporters. Speaking ahead of the game, Ten Hag previewed the battle the Argentine will have with free-scoring City striker Erling Haaland.
The pair met in the Champions League last season when Ajax won both legs of their group games against Borussia Dortmund, with Martinez making headlines for his handling of Haaland.
Ahead of another clash between the two players, Ten Hag has insisted that although it worked the last time, United will need to be ready for a potentially different landscape this time around.
🗣️ “Sunday will be different. Look to the future, don’t look back.”
Erik ten Hag on how he and Lisandro Martínez will deal with Erling Haaland after successfully getting the better of him last time. pic.twitter.com/BI34QraTbD
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 2, 2022
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“It’s true, I think the approach we took in this game against Dortmund, against Haaland was good,” Ten Hag told Football Daily.
“But still, so many things are different, so many situations. Sunday will be different because we’re playing Manchester City against Manchester United, not Dortmund and Ajax.
“Forget that, look to the future. Don’t look back. Okay, you learn things from the past but you have to look into the future.
“He didn’t do it by himself and also on Sunday, I don’t expect that from him, we have to do it as a team so I hug every player. He’s doing often a great job so yes, I will do that!”