Raphael Varane praises Erik ten Hag as Anthony Martial tackles Manchester United’s best four chances

Erik ten Hag teams up with Raphael Varane this season alongside summer recruit Lisandro Martinez

Raphael Varane has praised Erik ten Hag for his debut season as Manchester United manager.

The Dutchman has arrived at a club in crisis after turbulent spells under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick. Fan protests at the Glazers were the order of the day and trouble with Cristiano Ronaldo lay ahead

Back-to-back defeats weren’t exactly the ideal start, but Ten Hag have since rallied to impress at Old Trafford. One trophy – the Carabao Cup – is already in the bag and United could clinch another next month, the FA Cup.

The story of a possible Manchester City hat-trick adds even more spice to the Wembley showdown, with Pep Guardiola looking to emulate a performance only achieved by the Red Devils. On a personal note, Varane has formed a formidable partnership with summer signing Lisandro Martinez.

Injuries have recently hampered the former Real Madrid player, but he returned for last weekend’s 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Ahead of the trip to Bournemouth, Varane praised Ten Hag’s impact since his appointment last year.

“It’s been a great season with him (Ten Hag),” said the centre-back. “From day one it was clear in his reasoning and explaining what he wanted from us and how he wanted us to play. We learned his style and I think it goes well together.

Varane’s compatriot Anthony Martial also stressed that United’s Champions League dream was “in their hands” – dismissing pressure from Liverpool. The striker scored his fifth goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Wolves.

“It is important to win our next games to achieve our goal for the season,” added Martial. “It’s in our hands and we will do everything we can to try and finish in the top four.”