Erik ten Hag admits he did not expect Manchester United to climb up the Premier League table as quickly as they have this season.
United ended a demoralising 2021-22 campaign trophyless and in sixth in the league but they are currently third and well poised to qualify for the Champions League through a top four finish.
A probable return to the competition, as well as the end of the club's trophy drought with the League Cup victory last month, would fuel optimism of a championship challenge among supporters next term.
Read more: Ten Hag angry over two fouls after Alejandro Garnacho setback
United intend to sign a striker in the summer and Ten Hag is eager to recruit a dynamic midfielder. The United manager stressed investment is essential in a competitive Premier League if United are to make "the next step".
"I think we have made good progress but we have to acknowledge there is still a gap," Ten Hag noted. "I couldn't expect we would close that gap that quickly.
"But we want to win every game, no matter the opponent. I think all of the games you see until now, we try to win every game, we've beaten all the top teams, so we are capable of doing it but now we have to make the next step to be more dominant, more consistent, so we have some steps to take. But we know in this time we can do it.
"You see the competition and I also heard comments from other players, and managers in the Premier League, the Premier League was never that difficult as no. There are, so many competitors. It's not a two-horse race, it's five, six, seven-horse race. So you have to be very good if you want to win the league.
"We are aiming for that but what we want there are six or seven clubs more, they will invest, they will spend big money, they have great managers and great players. It's a lot of details but we have beaten all the teams in the "Premier League, so we are capable of doing it and we are aware of it, in the club and in the team, we have some steps to go."
Ten Hag claimed the defeat of Manchester City on January 14 was the only game all season when he had a fully fit squad to select from. Anthony Martial - who started that day but was forced off at half-time - has not played since and he will miss his 31st match out of a possible 45 against Real Betis in the Europa League round-of-16 second leg on Thursday night.
Christian Eriksen is sidelined until late April with an ankle injury, Alejandro Garnacho is out for weeks with an ankle problem, Antony is unwell and Donny van de Beek is out for the remainder of the season.
Bizarrely, Ten Hag suggested Arsenal had gone through the entire campaign without a significant injury issue when Gabriel Jesus recently returned from a three-month lay-off.
"When you see all season we had some setbacks more," Ten Hag explained. "Also a shortage of some players more. But every time we dealt with it, it's about the players who are available and every time there was a team on the pitch who dealt with it.
"But until now, only In one game we had the squad available totally where I can say I can pick my team for a tactical approach and that was perfect and it was against Man City at home. And it was the only time this season and every other game it is one player suspended, one injured or illness.
"We have to deal with it well but I see Arsenal they almost all the time, their squad is totally available."
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