Erik ten Hag has told his Manchester United players not to carried away by their resurgence this season or risk ending up empty-handed again.
United are in the top-four of the Premier League and kick off their FA Cup campaign at home to Everton on Friday before facing Charlton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals next week.
It has raised hopes that United could ended a trophy drought stretching back to 2017 with Ten Hag’s side also through to a Europa League play-off against Barcelona next month.
Erik ten Hag insists it’s too early in the season to start thinking about trophies at Man United
But the United boss warned his players to focus game by game or they will be distracted from the job in hand.
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‘I don’t think about that,’ replied the United boss when asked about the prospect of winning a trophy in his first season.
‘It’s in this stage of the season you are not looking at it. We have to get into a position you can win something. I know the season is long, especially with such a lot of games ahead.
‘When you think too far ahead, you get distracted. Focus on the team progress, team development, it’s all about that. We have many elements in our game we have to improve.
Ten Hag takes charge of his first FA Cup game with Everton’s visit to Old Trafford on Friday
However, Ten Hag says it’s too early in the season to start thinking about winning silverware
‘You don’t know, but let’s say we are in a good position. We are where we want to be, but still go from game to game. We play in many competitions: focus from game to game and don’t think too far ahead.’
On his first foray into the FA Cup, Ten Hag added: ‘For me the cup is always special. I know in England the FA Cup has even higher expectations, higher standards than in the Netherlands.
‘But I like the cup in the Netherlands as well. In not so many games you can achieve a lot, and you have to come away a winner. If you draw, it’s a replay but then after two rounds it’s a knockout and I like that.’