Erik ten Hag is confident that Manchester United can beat Manchester City this weekend, should his team perform at 100% at the Etihad.
Ten Hag will take charge of the Red Devils for the first time in a Manchester Derby this weekend, as his improving team take on the Premier League champions.
United have shown signs of progress in recent weeks with a four-game winning run in the Premier League, a sequence of results that has included wins over Liverpool and Arsenal.
The Dutchman and United now take on another stern examination against Pep Guardiola’s unbeaten side, but Ten Hag is confident that his team can earn a positive result if the game plan is executed at 100%.
“We need to look to ourselves. We want to win every game,” he told his pre-match press conference.
“We have to perform at our best. We have to do our best, with a good game plan. Then it about execution. We will have to do 100%.
“I have played many derbies. I know what they are, the most important game.”
Key to a successful result for United will be stopping Erling Haaland, who has scored 11 goals in just seven league games since signing for City during the summer.
Ten Hag talked down the threat of Haaland however, and insisted his focus is on City as a collective and not individual talents.
“We don’t play against [Erling] Haaland, we play against Man City. We are convinced of our capabilities. If we act as a team we can beat our opponents.”
