"Steadied the boat that was rocking" - Former Manchester United star hails Erik ten Hag and highlights similarities with Sir Alex Ferguson

Former Manchester United player Mark Hughes has praised current manager Erik ten Hag. He believes he is the man to lead the club to success, despite the uncertainty surrounding the team's long-term future.

Hughes, who has made over 350 appearances for Manchester United, commended Ten Hag for his efforts to stabilize the club after a problematic 2021/22 campaign.

Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football via Sky Bet, Hughes said:

“Erik ten Hag has come in and steadied the boat that was rocking from side to side. He’s going to need to have time and he’s done the initial part of dealing with the demand that was on him as the manager of the club, stabilising everything.''

He also made positive comparisons between Ten Hag's mentality and management style with former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He added:

“He looks like he’s instilled discipline into the group and the club as whole. Playing under Sir Alex Ferguson, his standards for discipline and behaviour were strong, it was one of his mantras. It looks like Ten Hag has taken a little bit of that on board and it seems like he is a very straight forward and structured guy who just tells you as it is.''

Ten Hag took over the managerial role last summer after a disappointing 2021-22 season, which saw them finish sixth in the league. However, almost a year on, United look like a completely different team, competing for trophies and transforming into a top-class side once again.

Despite recent concerns about the club's future, with the Glazers potentially selling the Red Devils, Hughes believes that Man Utd should stick with Ten Hag for the long haul.

“I hope Manchester [United] sticks with Erik ten Hag,” he added.

Ten Hag has already brought success to Old Trafford, leading the Red Devils to their first trophy in six years by winning the Carabao Cup in February 2023. Additionally, United are currently the only side in the Premier League fighting on four fronts and sit in third place.

Manchester United could still win two more trophies, the Europa League and the FA Cup.

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Marcus Rashford included in Manchester United's squad to face Newcastle United in Premier League

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has traveled with the squad for their upcoming Premier League match against Newcastle United on Sunday, April 2.

Rashford suffered a knock during England's Euro 2024 qualifiers and was forced to withdraw from the team. However, he took part in Friday's training session and was able to keep his place in the squad for Sunday's match.

Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has stated that Raphael Varane is likely to return to the starting line-up, and Anthony Martial has a strong chance of making his comeback after missing the last 13 games.