Erik ten Hag said he is excited about this week’s Europa League showdown with Jose Mourinho, calling the former Manchester United boss “an example for many, many managers”.
United head to Istanbul this week to take on Fenerbahce, meaning a reunion with Mourinho, who joined the Turkish club in June following his sacking by Roma.
The Portuguese is one of the most decorated managers in history and while he proved a divisive figure at United during his tenure from 2016 to 2018, he won the League Cup and Europa League.
United are under pressure after drawing their first two fixtures in this season’s Europa League but manager Ten Hag is looking forward to pitting his wits against Mourinho on Thursday.
“It’s a big game for both of us,” he said at the Football Writers’ Association Northern Managers Awards dinner on Sunday.
“I really enjoy facing him and playing against him. He always has good teams, he is a winner – he (has) won so many trophies – I think he is an example for many, many managers.”
Despite leading United to FA Cup glory at the end of last season, Ten Hag is again under intense scrutiny after a poor start to this campaign – they are 11th in the Premier League with just three wins in eight games.
But the Dutchman accepts the pressure comes with the territory.
“It is football, you have to live for now,” he said. “(What happened) is in the past, you have to prove (yourself) every day, you have to prove yourself every season, so we have to go for it.
“We are at the start of the season and we will see where we end but our target is to win a trophy again.”
Some of the pressure on Ten Hag was eased on Saturday as United came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the winner.
Having shown promise in a stop-start first campaign with United, Hojlund has had an injury-disrupted start to this season and his goal at the weekend was his first in the Premier League since May.
But now Hojlund is inching closer to full fitness, Ten Hag believes the 21-year-old Dane will continue to excel.
“He will always score,” Ten Hag added. “What is important is that he is keeping fit. He picked up so many injuries in the first season and when he stays fit, he will score goals because that (is) proved (in) his stats.”
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