'I knew this could happen' - Erik ten Hag asks for time to end Manchester United slump

Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United's nightmare run of injuries and a summer transfer strategy that focused on players for the future are behind the team's dramatic slump this season.

Ten Hag insists he needs time to turn his side's fortunes around, although he is aware the clock is constantly ticking in the Premier League and United head into Sunday's crucial Premier League clash with Tottenham under pressure.

The good news for the Dutchman is that the injury crisis that has been affecting his squad from the early weeks of the season is finally showing signs of abating, with Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Luke Shaw all back in contention today, while Mason Mount is also closing in on a return.

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Ten Hag believes no team would have been able to withstand a comparable run of injuries, a situation not helped by the club making "choices for the future" in the summer, with 20-year-old striker Rasmus Hojlund the obvious example. For all the potential the Dane has shown, he has contributed just one Premier League goal in 15 games after his £72million move from Atalanta.

But the promise of Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho has Ten Hag believing he is on the right path, despite seeing United well adrift of the Champions League places at the moment, having lost 14 of their 29 games in all competitions this season.

"I am managing a project here and I know when you get setbacks like the injuries we had, no team can handle so many injuries and you will drop off a level," he said.

"Also, we made some choices in the summer, for the future, but we know we have to perform and we want to do it at