Erik ten Hag says Man Utd will ‘give everything’ to stop Man City winning treble

Erik ten Hag has promised Manchester United fans that his team will ‘give everything’ to stop Manchester City from winning the FA Cup and claiming the treble.

Pep Guardiola’s side could still win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League this season - a treble that has only been won once before, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1998/99 United side claimed all three.

United could stand in City’s way of achieving the feat for just a second time in the history of English football, with the Red Devils’ penalties victory over Brighton & Hove Albion setting up an all-Manchester FA Cup final on 3 June. Speaking after City’s semi-final win on Saturday, Guardiola jokingly told United, not to ‘be scared’ of City potentially winning the treble, and Ten Hag was asked about the possibility of stopping the Blues in six weeks’ time.

“I understand, of course, the feelings from the Man United fans about it. We will do everything to give them that, to give them the second trophy; everything what I have, everything the team have, the staff have,” he said.

“We will give everything to get it done. We can do it because we prove it. It’s not an easy though, it’s a great team, but we also have a great team and great players. We can beat them.

“We will give everything, and when I say everything, that is everything,” he added. “More than 100% you can’t do, so the fans can rely on that we will give it. We will do it against every opponent, it doesn’t matter who it is. We want to give that against City, we want to give the fans that.”

Ten Hag has already tasted victory against Guardiola this season when United beat City 2-1 at Old Trafford. Referring to that game, the Red Devils boss said that his side played ‘perfect game’ to overcome the champions in January.

“We have proven that we could beat them but we have to play the perfect game,” claimed the Dutchman. “For me, that was the perfect game we played this season.

“We have to go again, we know that, but first of all, we have to focus on different occasions, on different games, because we have to be in the top four to get into the Champions League next season.”