Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has insisted that his side will have to be at their best to overcome Everton in the third round of the FA Cup.
The Red Devils will welcome the Toffees to Old Trafford on Friday evening, with the two Premier League teams looking to progress to the next round of the competition.
Everton will enter the match off the back of a 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, with the result piling the pressure on head coach Frank Lampard.
Man United have already beaten the Toffees in the Premier League this season, recording a 2-1 victory at Goodison Park towards the start of October.
However, Ten Hag has said that his team will not take Everton lightly on Friday night, calling the Merseyside outfit “a really good opponent”.
“It’s a really good opponent and we faced them once already in the league. It was a good game our side but at that time they were really on track,” the Dutchman told MUTV.
“We faced them in the winter break [in a behind-closed-doors game] and they have great players and a great manager, so I’m sure tomorrow (Friday) they will be highly ambitious to win that game.
“They showed [at the weekend] against City, where they had a really good performance and they got a point. It was well deserved.
“We know we have to be ready for that game. We know we have to put the energy in and we know we have to be at 100 per cent to win that game. When we are not, then we get killed. That’s not what we are aiming for, that’s quite clear.
“It’s a great game, at Old Trafford. More away fans, which will make it a different atmosphere. We have already experienced that now many times, with the Villa game in the Carabao Cup and one of the Europa League games also, a lot of the fans of the opponent were there.
“It’s a nice atmosphere, I’m sure, but finally it’s about what happens on the pitch. Finally it’s about: do we deliver the performance? It’s all about that, it’s all about us and we have to be ready. We have to bring quality, the right performance and we have to win, because we want to go to the next round.”
Ten Hag has also paid tribute to Bruno Fernandes ahead of the contest in the FA Cup, with the Portugal international wearing the armband on a number of occasions this term due to club captain Harry Maguire no longer being first choice.
“I think he’s an example. That’s also the reason why he oftens wears the [arm]band. That’s exemplified by his energy. He’s so good in transition, both ways, and that’s one of the key elements in today’s football,” said the Dutchman.
“He’s so good in it and he gives so much quality in that part of the game. The team’s really happy with him and I’m really happy with him.”
Man United will be bidding to make it seven straight wins in all competitions when they welcome Everton to Old Trafford.
Source: dailylifeworld.com
