David Moyes and Erik ten Hag meet again on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)
Erik ten Hag says he has a lot of admiration for David Moyes for having the bravery to follow Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager, while he also feels the Scot is a ‘great manager with a lot of skills’.
The Red Devils go to east London on Sunday evening looking to keep pace in the Champions League race, while the Hammers still need points to guarantee survival.
Ten Hag has got the better of Moyes twice since arriving at Old Trafford, with a 1-0 win in the Premier League and 3-1 victory in the FA Cup, both in Manchester.
However, the Dutchman has great respect for the Scot, for the various jobs he has done in the Premier League, and even though his spell at Manchester United was not a success, Ten Hag feels he was brave to take on the challenge.
Asked if it is easier to take over the Red Devils years after Ferguson left rather than replacing the iconic figure, Ten Hag said: ‘It’s hypothetical, so you’ll never know.
‘But it’s quite clear when you have to succeed Sir Alex that is a big challenge and that is a really difficult job to do.
‘So, yeah, he did it, he had the bravery to do it, so that’s why I think I admire him that much. He’s also that long already with many clubs in the Premier League, so it’s a great manager with a lot of skills.
‘I know my team has to be their best on Sunday. We have to play our maximum if we want to get the result we need, and that’s a win.’
On the job Ten Hag has done with United this season, Moyes said: ‘I think he’s approached it in a really good way, he’s had a good response and he’s getting Manchester United much closer to the places where they all hoped they may be.’
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‘A great manager with a lot of skills.’