Aheed Abrar
Erik ten Hag admits Barcelona victory biggest win of Manchester United career
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted that the 2-1 victory against Barcelona at home was the biggest win of his stint with the Red Devils.
Xavi’s team made their way to Old Trafford on Thursday (23 February) in the second leg of the Europa League playoff tie. The Manchester-based club came from behind in the second half and qualified for the round of 16.
When asked on BT Sport (h/t Daily Mail) whether it represented his biggest win at Man United, Ten Hag felt it was. The gaffer pointed out that the Red Devils beat the La Liga league leaders over two legs.
“I think so, we have had good wins against Liverpool and Arsenal at home, but this is over two legs. Barcelona are Barcelona. They are eight points clear in La Liga. We have all seen Real Madrid this week against Liverpool [winning 5-2]. If you beat them it is a big win.”
In the first half, Barcelona were all over us. The Blaugrana managed to get ahead in the tie after Robert Lewandowski converted from the spot.
The Spanish giants went on to dominate the Old Trafford side for most of the first half. Subsequently, after the break, the Manchester-based club found their bearings and dominated the proceedings.
Man United quickly equalised after Fred found the back of the net in the 47th minute. We went on to control the game. Eventually, Antony, who came on as a substitute at the break, scored the game’s winner.
The Red Devils are still alive in all four competitions for now. However, next up, the Old Trafford side have another defining fixture against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
Over the course of the season, Man United have beaten the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City. We are also still in contention for the FA Cup and the Premier League. The Red Devils are just five points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
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Ten Hag has managed to exceed expectations after the losses in the first two games of the campaign. The win over Barcelona seems like a decisive moment. Hopefully, the gaffer will be able to lift some silverware by the end of the term.
