‘You didn’t believe me’ - Erik ten Hag responds to media criticism as he reveals plan for Man Utd stars

Erik ten Hag has said he always knew Manchester United’s young players would come to the fore this season after goals from Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho secured a 3-0 win over West Ham United on Sunday.

It’s been a difficult season for the pair at times but they’ve grown in stature throughout the campaign, with Hojlund scoring in his last four Premier League matches and Garnacho starting the last 19 games in all competitions. In addition, Kobbie Mainoo has returned from injury and played the last nine matches, and scored the winner in Thursday’s 4-3 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The juvenile trio celebrated Garnacho’s first goal on Sunday by sitting arm-in-arm on the advertising boards, in an iconic and emblematic image of United’s future. The youth-inspired win sees United move into sixth, the club’s highest position of the season, while they’ve now scored 15 goals in the last seven games.

After the widespread criticism Ten Hag has received this season, in his eyes, the team’s improvement vindicates many of his decisions. “Yeah, but you didn't believe me. No one. I have seen all your briefing,” the Dutchman joked after the 3-0 win over West Ham.

“You see the progress is coming and we bought players in the summer for the future. We also make choices to give players who deserved it, to get opportunities in the first team, as Garnacho and Mainoo [did]. 

“But, as Mainoo in the second game [of pre-season] against Madrid gets a real bad injury. Yeah, then all the plans you have, you have to adapt. Hojlund, he had a period, came too late in, but you see he is progressing. And when there is a consistent team in his back with routines, they will serve him better, and then you see a frontline who's in balance and I think it's a threat for every opponent. 

“We saw the potential from those players. But they need, of course, games. They need experience, and the only way you can get this is to play in that first team and to get the opposition, and then adapt. When they have the right attitude and when they keep doing this, in togetherness, and in that attitude to improve every day, then I'm convinced they can achieve very high levels.”

Sunday’s victory means United have won five of the last seven in all competitions and, while Ten Hag is pleased with the upturn in form, the ex-Ajax boss was keen to stress there is still real room for improvement.

“I'm not telling you that we are there, where we want [to be], but you see the potential. But, you can only work on the potential when a team is available.

“For today, we are pleased with it, but you need routines to get consistent performances,” he added. “I think then we can still achieve a lot in this season because in this Premier League everyone is killing everyone and for us, the approach is go from final to final."