Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United are going “in the right direction” – but Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola considers Liverpool his side’s current biggest rivals.
United kick-off Sunday’s derby six points behind City after losing four of their opening nine matches.
“I see positives, I see also negatives,” said Ten Hag, adding his side still “have a way to go”.
Guardiola suggested it “will take time” for United to challenge for the title.
In becoming only the second ever English team to complete the Treble last season, matching United’s famous achievement in 1998-99, City finished 14 points ahead of their rivals in the league and beat United 2-1 in the FA Cup final.
But, when it comes to the Manchester derby, things have been more even, with City edging the past 20 league encounters 10-7.
Before the 191st derby (15:30 GMT kick-off), the managers of both clubs spoke about progress, prestige and big rivalries.
Ten Hag points to pressing stats as sign of progress
Ten Hag led United to their first silverware in six years in his first season as United manager, clinching the Carabao Cup in February, and also guided the club back to the Champions League with a third-place league finish.
But the Dutchman’s second season has got off to an underwhelming start and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher wrote this week that United “resemble a team reaching the end of a cycle, not one still rebuilding”, adding: “The football is stale and the symptoms of regression are visible.”
Ten Hag disagrees and pointed to certain statistics which he feels demonstrate evidence of improvement in his team.
“We are top in the Premier League in high ball regains, we are top in the Premier League in middle ball regains,” he said.
“Our pressing is always very good, so that is not the truth what he is telling.”
‘Games will become easier’
As Ten Hag suggested, United lead the way in the Premier League for possession won, averaging 57.4 regains per match – and possession won in the attacking third, averaging 7.9 per game.
Only Everton (25.9) have, on average, won back possession in the middle third more than United (25.8).
Despite that, Ten Hag’s side have managed just 11 goals in their nine league games and conceded 13.
“We are not consistently, in possession, on the level where we can be,” Ten Hag said.
“But [in] pressing, we are quite good. There you see, our defensive organisation, our pressing organisation. I said before the season how we wanted to play. That is us.
“But then, we don’t take the benefit in the attacking transition moments, and we should be because we have the abilities in our team. This has to progress. Then games will become easier.”
United have ‘prestige’ but Liverpool are City’s biggest rival – Guardiola
While United continue to struggle to return to former glory, City have won the Premier League in five of the past six seasons and emulated their rivals’ famous 1998-99 treble achievement last season.
Guardiola believes City’s rise to football’s elite since their takeover by Abu Dhabi owners in 2008 has proven “uncomfortable” for their Premier League rivals.
“We were not in the elite and now we are in the elite,” Guardiola said. “Maybe it’s uncomfortable for many things. That is a reality and we want to stay as long as possible.”
The closest United have come to rivalling City domestically since then was as runners-up under Jose Mourinho in 2017-18 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020-21.
However, on those two occasions, United finished 19 and 12 points behind City respectively.
As such, Guardiola believes Liverpool are City’s current biggest rivals, having had several close battles with Jurgen Klopp’s side during his tenure.
“Manchester United, when something happens, is in the highlights all day. The reputation and the prestige they have is always there. It just needs to click,” Guardiola said.
“But Liverpool have been our biggest rivals – they made us challenge higher and higher and helped make us a better team in all departments.”
On whether he feels United can return to challenging at the top, Guardiola added: “It takes time. United is able to win four, five six games in a row. If they do that they will be on top.
“Leave the manager to do the job that here they allowed me to do in my first season when we didn’t win. Give time to the managers and they will do it.”
