Erik ten Hag explains what Manchester United must do to be title challengers this season

Erik ten Hag has suggested if Manchester United are in a similar position to their current standing in the Premier League in April then they will have a chance of winning the title.

United are third and only five points behind leaders Manchester City, having played the same number of fixtures. Both teams have 15 more games to play.

Second-placed Arsenal have not won since their 3-2 defeat of United on January 22 and have dropped eight points in their last three matches.

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United are the only team in Europe competing in four competitions and should they progress in the Europa League and the FA Cup over the next two weeks they would only play three more league games before the March internationals.

"We don't think so far about this," Ten Hag said of the championship chatter. "What we have to do is put us in April in the right position. So our thinking can always be on the next game, always have to be better than the previous game and think about game from game with the energy and focus.

"We have to win on Sunday, we have to collect three points against Leicester and that demands a lot of energy and demands high standards."

United host Leicester this weekend ahead of the eagerly anticipated Europa League second leg play-off with Barcelona at Old Trafford on Thursday and the League Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley on Sunday week.

The 2-2 draw in Barcelona was United's fifth game in 16 days and they remain unbeaten in February. Ten Hag believes the hectic schedule has been beneficial for the players.

"The players in our squad like it," Ten Hag stressed. "They like to play big games, they know also as a team and as an individual, you grow from such