Erik ten Hag explains the difference between Manchester United’s results vs Man City

Man City thrashed Man United 6-3 at the Etihad but three months later United recovered from behind to win at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United regained belief when they beat City in the second derby of the season at Old Trafford.

In the Etihad derby in October, United found themselves 6-1 down with six minutes to play before substitute Anthony Martial scored two late goals to trim City’s winning margin.

City inflicted a third Premier League defeat of the season on United yet they only lost once again in the league before the teams met 104 days later at Old Trafford.

United won the reverse fixture 2-1 with two goals in the last 15 minutes to go within a point of City at the time. When asked what the difference was between two drastic scorelines, Ten Hag replied: “The belief.

“In the Etihad we didn’t show belief. In Old Trafford, we were determined to win this game from the first moment on. It is up to us that we show the same belief.

“You can’t say learn. You learn always, You learn from that defeat but you learn from the win as well.”

City were unhappy Bruno Fernandes’s 78th-minute equaliser in the Old Trafford derby stood after Marcus Rashford was initially flagged offside. United capitalised on City’s lack of focus and Rashford prodded in the winner four minutes later.

Ten Hag rejected the suggestion United’s victory was remotely fortunate. “I wouldn’t explain it in that way because I have also seen the xG (expected goals) from that game and it was really our side’s.

“Big games are always decided by details but the construction of the plan is based on many facts and you can’t point out one. Probably a detail like that moment in the game decide top games.”

At a humdrum press conference, Ten Hag seemed to consciously downplay the hype building up to the first all-Manchester FA Cup final.

The significance of the occasion has been heightened by the possibility of City emulating United’s Treble triumph of 1999 but Ten Hag feels that is an irrelevant source of motivation for the United players.

“I know what is the thinking from the fans,” He noted. “But what we want is to restore Manchester United by winning trophies.

“So on Saturday we have an opportunity to win a trophy and we don’t want to be distracted by anything. If it is important for the fans, it is important for us. So we will give everything to win the cup.

“It is not necessary [to cite the Treble]. It will not give more motivation for the team because the motivation is already enough – it can’t be more.

“They want to win a Cup and they have an opportunity. They want to set a crown of the season so what do you need more, what is more motivation?”