Porto manager sends message to under-fire Erik ten Hag ahead of Manchester United clash

Tom OlverPublished Oct 2, 2024, 7:20pm|Updated Oct 2, 2024, 7:21pm

Porto caput manager Vitor Bruno says helium ‘really likes’ Erik 10 Hag and has invited the Manchester United manager for a solid of vino aft the 2 teams conscionable successful the Europa League connected Thursday night.

An under-fire Ten Hag received the backing of United bosses successful the summer aft steering the nine to an improbable FA Cup last triumph implicit Manchester City astatine the extremity of past season.

But the Dutchman finds himself nether aggravated unit erstwhile again and wide reports suggest helium has 2 games to prevention his job, starting astatine Porto’s Estadio bash Dragao.

The high-stakes group-stage contention comes conscionable 4 days connected from United’s 3-0 capitulation astatine location to Tottenham, with goals from Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke piling yet much misery connected Ten Hag’s men aft a mediocre commencement to Premier League campaign.

The Red Devils were held to a disappointing 1-1 gully by FC Twente successful their Europa League opener anterior to Sunday’s decision to Spurs and necessitate a much-improved show to support their critics and doubters astatine bay.

Asked whether it’s a bully clip to beryllium facing United, Porto brag Vitor Bruno replied: ‘Quite the opposite.

‘We ever spot Manchester United arsenic a menace and determination is ne'er a bully clip to look them.

‘We person to beryllium ourselves and dainty them with a batch of respect due to the fact that they person a batch of individuals, arsenic a squad too.

‘I cognize you’re talking astir their past crippled against Tottenham.

‘But you person to look astatine the full picture.’

Pressed for his thoughts connected Ten Hag, Vitor Bruno explained: ‘I haven’t met him yet, but I truly similar him.

‘There’s a manager successful Portugal who’s present astatine Braga, his sanction is Carlos Carvalhal, who was successful the Premier League and the Championship.

‘He utilized to accidental that aft games they would spell and person a solid of vino together. If Ten Hag wants, the doorway is open.’

Speaking to Sky Sports up of United’s travel to Porto, Ten Hag insisted the imaginable of getting sacked had not adjacent entered his thoughts.

‘I’m not reasoning astir it, I’m not anxious. We are together,’ the ex-Ajax manager said.

‘We created a togetherness successful the summertime with the ownership and the leadership.

‘We made this statement and we were each down it. We besides cognize the strategy [is to bring in] young players successful a modulation period.

‘They besides cognize successful the extremity erstwhile we are May, successful each my past six seasons, ever determination were trophies. That is what we are besides present aiming for.’

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