‘Satisfaction leads to laziness’ - Erik ten Hag’s warning to Man Utd players following Carabao Cup victory

Erik ten Hag has said Manchester United’s Carabao Cup success should act as the ‘inspiration’ to go on and lift more silverware.

The Red Devils won their first trophy of the Ten Hag era on Sunday as they beat Newcastle United 2-0 at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup. It’s also the club’s first trophy since 2017, but Ten Hag is aiming to achieve more success in the next few months of the season.

United are still competing in the FA Cup and Europa League and have an outside chance of finishing first in the Premier League. Speaking after the final at Wembley, Ten Hag said he wants his players to enjoy the moment but not get carried away, with Wednesday’s FA Cup clash against West Ham United already on the Dutchman’s radar.

“We know it’s worth suffering and sacrificing,” said Ten Hag. “You know that you have to give your best every day to celebrate. It’s about glory and honour and if you want to win something, you have to do it.

“It shows something, silverware. It shows that you are on a good pathway and direction. It’s one cup and it’s February, but it shows we are going in the right direction. This has to be the inspiration, the motivation to keep going and to continue on this pathway and to improve. You can be happy for 24 hours but not satisfied because satisfaction leads to laziness and then you don’t win trophies.”

Asked if he’ll celebrate the trophy, Ten Hag said: “It is not business as usual, it is not a common day. We won a trophy and this trophy means something and that is the feeling I get here in the UK and we have won something we have to celebrate.

“But after you have to keep going because Wednesday is another game. Every game is a big game and you can’t win if you’re not at 100 percent. You have to do everything to win this game, but this cup can be the inspiration to give even more and to have even more togetherness and to be better.

“If you work very hard, if you stick together then things are possible. But you have to go from game to game and you can’t look far ahead and dream. That will distract you. The focus has to be on the job. One hundred percent focus is needed.”