Erik ten Hag: 'FA Cup final a mark of Manchester United's progress'

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has said that the team's presence in Saturday's FA Cup final is an indication of the progress that has been made this season.

A turbulent 2021-22 campaign saw the Red Devils have three managers at the helm, while they were eliminated in the third round of the EFL Cup, fourth round of the FA Cup, and finished down in sixth position in the Premier League table.

This season, Man United won the EFL Cup at the end of February, while they secured third position in the Premier League, ensuring their spot in next season's Champions League.

The 20-time English champions will now have the chance to win their second trophy of the season when they take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday afternoon.

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"We want to win. We want to win a cup. And it's not about stopping them. It is about that we win, that we win a cup. We have a great opportunity," Ten Hag told reporters.

"So that's great that we deserved that opportunity to be in the cup final and then meet Man City, that it's a great opportunity, and we fought so hard for it. I think we progressed that well that we are in that FA Cup final.

"We look to ourselves and you have to see where you are as a club. And from there on, you have to make progress. And I think we did over the last season.

"We make very good progress. We are in a good direction and I know we use the coming period as well now, we get the opportunity in the summer to make new targets, new goals on the short term.

"But the longer term, yeah, that will stay the same. As I said last year, we want to restore Man United. But yeah, we have a way to go.

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"I think it is very good when you see where we came from and then you see the progress and the development of the team.

"In a tough league like the Premier League, you are third and winning the League Cup and in the final of the FA Cup, you can be happy with the season. But after the summer, we start again and we start on zero.

"I have played many cup finals in the Netherlands as a player and as a coach and they were always fantastic experiences. In the Netherlands, we have De Kuip and it's a special place to be. But Wembley is probably the best stadium in the world and to be there in a cup final is really exciting."

Man United are likely to be without the services of Antony for Saturday's showdown, though, with Ten Hag revealing that the Brazilian is now expected to miss out with the injury that he suffered against Chelsea.