Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United problem: ‘Rangnick was absolutely right’

Ralf Rangnick had been scathing of United towards the end of his interim spell during the 2021-22 season

Manchester United are a ‘long way away’ from being ready to win the Premier League, admits Ten Hag (Getty)

Erik ten Hag has insisted Manchester United are a “long way away” from being ready to win the Premier League and claimed Ralf Rangnick’s assessment that the club need open-heart surgery was correct.

Rangnick was scathing about United towards the end of his interim spell in charge during the 2021-22 campaign.

Current Austria boss Rangnick stated more than two years ago that the “attitude and energy” at Old Trafford had to change and Ten Hag has reflected on the comments made by his predecessor in a wide-ranging interview with Dutch newspaper AD Sportwereld.

Former Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick said the club needed ‘open-heart surgery’ (PA)

“Rangnick was absolutely right. We’ve been working very hard on that for two years, but he said it just right,” Ten Hag said, having won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during his two seasons in charge amid intense speculation over his job.

“Our standards still need to go up.

“I knew when I started that it was going to be a tough job. There are a lot of people who have advised me. Louis van Gaal too.

“We want this club back to where it was more than a decade ago, to a club that wins the Premier League, which can win Champions Leagues. We are really a long way away from that, I think.

“I think we’ve taken steps since then, otherwise we wouldn’t have won two prizes, but we are not yet so far that a ‘winning culture’ already prevails here in all respects.

“Our standards, our norms and values, still need to go up. I was not shocked (by what I inherited). But the culture, the mentality was really not good. To win, to really achieve top performance every week, we had to change a lot.”

Jadon Sancho is back in the first-team squad after making up with Erik ten Hag (PA)

Ten Hag also discussed the situation of Jadon Sancho, who has been welcomed back into the first-team fold and featured in Saturday’s 2-0 friendly win at Rangers.

“We spoke well. Everyone can make a mistake,” Ten Hag said.

“This club needs good players, and one thing is certain: Jadon Sancho is a very good player. I hope that we will still click and that he will contribute to our success.”