A luxury problem – Erik ten Hag welcomes competition for places

Erik ten Hag is delighted to finally have the “luxury problem” of competition for places as Manchester United’s injury-impacted season comes to a close.

The Red Devils are in danger of recording their worst finish and points tally of the Premier League era heading into Sunday’s season finale at Brighton.

United have been rocked by absentees this term but Lisandro Martinez, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford returned against Newcastle as others underlined their qualities ahead of the FA Cup final.

Amad Diallo scored a rocket on Wednesday and has shone in his first two Premier League starts under Ten Hag, while Sofyan Amrabat has stepped up as his loan spell comes to a close.

“It’s internal competition and I think they perform well,” the United boss said of the pair.

“I think the way they’re progressing across the season is very good for both and now they deserve the chance, they took the chance and that’s a luxury problem.

“Which is good and that is actually what I need, what I was waiting for so long. Actually, I was waiting for a whole season, such a luxury problem and we need a squad to win both games.”

Beating Manchester City in next Saturday’s FA Cup final would end a largely miserable campaign on a high and perhaps help keep under-fire manager Ten Hag in the job.

It would also seal Europa League qualification as Champions League football has been out of reach for a while.

United could still seal continental qualification through the league, but they need to better seventh-placed Newcastle’s result at Brentford to at least reach the Conference League.

The teams are level on 57 points but the Red Devils have a far inferior goal difference than the Magpies, who they beat 3-2 on Wednesday as they built on Sunday’s narrow 1-0 loss to title hopefuls Arsenal.

“There was only one very poor performance (recently), so all the others, there was always very good spirit,” Ten Hag said, nodding to the recent 4-0 hammering at Crystal Palace.

“I would almost say across the season, across all the problems we had – I don’t think I have to sum them up again, but we have had them – but the spirit in the team, the fighting spirit, was always there.

“The dynamic was always there and I think we had also some good performances, even when the best players were not available.

“But you know when all the best players are not available, and you have to change so many things, the patterns are not there, the new routines are not there.

“Now, lately, the last two games, we are returning some players, players who progress very well came in the team and the performances, as you say, were good in the last two games.”