Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has urged his players to bring big games over the line and to play with anger and energy when they face Liverpool on Sunday. The Red Devils have suffered two consecutive late losses in the Premier League, including a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea on Thursday, leaving their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League hanging by a thread.
Ten Hag believes that his team can play to a very high standard and compete with the best in the Premier League and that they can also do it across Europe. He wants his players to use the disappointment from the Chelsea game as fuel for their victory bid against Liverpool.
United have won both times they have faced Liverpool at Old Trafford since Ten Hag took charge in 2022, including a thrilling 4-3 victory in the FA Cup quarter-finals last month. However, they currently sit in sixth place in the table, trailing Tottenham by nine points in fifth and Aston Villa by ten points in fourth, with only eight games left in the season.
The top five teams in the Premier League will earn a place in next season’s Champions League, and United’s recent losses have put their qualification hopes in jeopardy. Ten Hag believes that his team needs to make better decisions and learn how to bring big games over the line.
United will need to recover quickly from their recent setbacks and turn things around if they hope to qualify for the Champions League and finish the season on a high note. They will be looking to play with energy and anger when they face Liverpool on Sunday, and they will need to compete at their highest level if they hope to secure a victory against their old rivals.