Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag warns Chelsea 'can beat anyone' despite enduring 'difficult' Premier League season
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Updated 03/04/2024 at 14:38 GMT
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is wary of the threat from Chelsea ahead of their meeting at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, despite the Blues enduring a "difficult" season. United travel to West London with the hopes of keeping their slim top-four chances alive, but Ten Hag believes Mauricio Pochettino's side "can beat anyone". Watch Chelsea v Man Utd live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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Erik ten Hag is convinced Chelsea "can beat anyone" in the Premier League despite enduring a turbulent season, as the Manchester United boss prepares for a trip to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea will host Ten Hag's side in West London on Thursday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, as Man Utd continue their unlikely bid for a top-four finish, while The Blues hunt down a spot in the top half of the table.
Like United, Mauricio Pochettino's side have struggled with injuries, but Ten Hag feels the Chelsea squad is filled with quality.
"It's a tough competition, it's very tight and also a lot about which players are available and not," the Man Utd boss said in a news conference on Wednesday ahead of the game.
"When you are on the right side of the line, you can have a successful season but when on the wrong side, you can have a much more difficult season.
"For the rest, they have a fantastic team, fantastic players and play very good football. They can beat anyone and have shown that in this league."
Last time out, United were denied a winner deep into added time against Brentford when Mason Mount's 96th-minute goal was cancelled out by Kristoffer Ajer's effort three minutes later.
United we made to settle for a draw, and Ten Hag admitted his side should not have allowed that to happen after taking the lead so late on.
"I am long enough in football to know and some of you should also understand why such things happen," he said.
"Sometimes you are not playing good but we are Manchester United, you have to win and you cannot give it away like we did, that was the biggest disappointment for me. We keep going."
Mount marked his return from a four-month injury absence on Saturday with his first goal for the club against Brentford, in only his 14th appearance since his £55 million arrival from Chelsea in the summer.
The midfielder will return to his former club on Wednesday where he spent 18 years, but Ten Hag said they must manage his minutes "carefully" in a bid to prevent further injury.
"He's a fantastic football player but it's important first that he is getting and keeping fit because he has had three injuries," he said.
"We have to do this carefully. The first objective is to keep him fit. Then he can benefit and contribute to the team like he did on Saturday when he had a big impact."
The Dutchman also gave an update on United's current injuries, who have been boosted by the return of centre back trio Raphael Varane, Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire.
"No more issues, we don't need them," Ten Hag said. "The frontline and midfield we are okay, in the backline we have a lack of options.
"But the good thing is that this afternoon Varane and Evans are back, Harry Maguire was back in training yesterday.
"You can't prevent the problems," he added. "The standards of the Premier League are so high.
"The overload in the schedule and in international football is so huge. We have all internationals in our squad. City, Liverpool, Newcastle [also] have the problems, especially in the defending department.
"We don't train because we recover then you go up to the next game."
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