When it came to the biggest game of his Manchester United tenure, there was only one person for Erik ten Hag to call on for advice.
Sir Alex Ferguson was Ten Hag's dining partner at a Cheshire restaurant on Tuesday night, 48 hours before Thursday night's Europa League play-off decider against Barcelona. If Ten Hag was looking for pointers on how to overcome the Spanish giants at Old Trafford, he need have looked no further than United's most decorated former manager.
Ferguson, 81, faced Barca nine times, winning two games and drawing four, with two of his three defeats coming in Champions League finals by Pep Guardiola's formidable former side. Yet the two wins were memorable - the 1991 Cup Winners' Cup final and the 2008 Champions League semi-final, en route to lifting the famous trophy in Moscow.
Ten Hag relished the chance to pick Ferguson's football brain over a dinner that lasted more than two hours, with the pair enjoying lavish food and red wine as they chatted. Asked how valuable it was to draw on Ferguson's experience and knowledge, particularly ahead of such a huge game, Ten Hag said: “It’s massive.
“I always enjoy it, to speak with people who have a lot of knowledge, a lot of experience. He (Ferguson) wants to share it, he wants to help, he wants to support. You feel Manchester United is his club, he feels so committed. He wants to see that we're doing well. It was a great night and I look forward to the next night with him.”
With United third in the table, playing in Sunday's EFL Cup final, into the fifth round of the FA Cup and in with a chance of making the Europa League last 16, the progress under Ten Hag has been huge. The 53-year-old Dutchman has displayed the same conviction that made Ferguson such a success at United and sounded like his celebrated predecessor when asked if he felt he got enough credit for the way he has transformed the club.
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"It's not about credit, it's about trophies," said Ten Hag. "We have the opportunity to win a trophy on Sunday, but the first focus point is always the next game and in that sense, we can't win a trophy this week. We have to go from game to game with the same focus, but especially keep in the same mindset that every day we want to give a better version of ourselves."
Ten Hag knows the support of the 74,000-plus United fans inside Old Trafford will be key to their chances of beating Barca and making the last 16. Against that backdrop, he called on supporters to turn up the volume on what promises to be another epic night under the lights at the Theatre of Dreams.
“You can hear it in the stands that the fans feel a connection with this team and the feeling is mutual,” said Ten Hag. “We're all on a journey together, moving forward game-by-game and we need the fans as well as the players to be at the top of their game if we are to create a memorable night at Old Trafford.
“For me, the next game is always the biggest game. I'm not the type that's looking back, I'm looking forward. So I'm totally excited. Two big, great teams facing each other at Old Trafford, it will be a massive atmosphere, a great ambience. I think it's the best you can get.”
