In eight days, Manchester United reached the FA Cup final and further cemented a Premier League top-four spot with Sunday’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa to cap what manager Erik Ten Hag called “a brilliant week”.
Yet the Dutchman, who already guided United to the League Cup this season, brushed aside questions about the success he has had in his first year as manager, saying it was a “brilliant week” for his team, but there is plenty of football left to play.
“This question I think you have to wait until it’s done,” Ten Hag said. “We have to keep going, from game to game, but I think this is a brilliant week for us.”
United defeated Brighton 7-6 in a penalty shootout in the FA Cup semifinals last Sunday and then played Tottenham to a 2-2 league draw, but Ten Hag was critical of his side after that game for giving up a two-goal lead.
He was pleased with their response against Villa.
“When you are in a semifinal in a tough game against a good opponent we have seen in the week, we played a very good game to get through to the final,” the Dutchman said.
“And then Tottenham, we played the first half very well. And today we played two halves, I think an impressive game. So big credits to the team.”
Bruno Fernandes scored Sunday’s lone goal - and the 100th league goal of his career - six minutes before halftime. Against Brighton a week earlier, he picked up what looked to be a significant ankle injury that had made him a doubt against Tottenham.
But the 28-year-old Portugal international did not sit out, and when asked what that says about his resilience, Ten Hag said “A lot.”
“I emphasised it on Thursday in London, he’s so tough,” Ten Hag said. “A couple of weeks ago, (some) were questioning about his captaincy. It’s crazy, because he’s such a big leader, by example. He gives so much energy to the team besides his smartness, but also his determination, his passion and his resilience.
“And so yeah, I think we as a team are so happy. We need such players if you want to win games if you want to win trophies.”
Fernandes’s lackadaisical performance in United’s horrific 7-0 loss at Liverpool in early March led some pundits to say he did not deserve to be captain.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, meanwhile, still believes his side can finish the season strong enough to climb into the top-four. They’re seventh with 54 points from 34 games, nine points behind fourth-placed United, who have played 32 games.
“They are tough matches that we are going to face but I think we are ready to do it,” Emery said. “And we are excited to have this opportunity.”
It was the first time in 21 matches since Emery took control that his team failed to score.
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