Raphael Varane explains the biggest difference between Manchester United this season and last season

Raphael Varane believes Manchester United are more tactically disciplined than last season.

Varane joined United 18 months ago amid an intended title challenge yet they endured their worst season in decades, losing 12 Premier League games and finishing sixth in a trophyless campaign where they were thrashed 5-0 and 4-0 home and away by Liverpool.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021 and his replacement, interim manager Ralf Rangnick, failed to unite a dispirited dressing room.

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Under Erik ten Hag, United are third in the Premier League and only five points behind leaders Arsenal, entertain Barcelona in their Europa League play-off second leg on Thursday, take on Newcastle in the League Cup final on Sunday and host West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round next week.

Centre-back Varane, 29, has formed a rock-steady axis with Lisandro Martinez and the France international emphasised United's tactical improvement this term.

"I think first of all, it is the confidence and secondly I think it is the discipline," Varane said. "I think tactically we are following exactly the rules. We know exactly how we want to play and manage the game.

"I think the quality is in the squad but with a little more experience and mentality of competition and winning mentality we have already improved a lot. That is maybe the difference between this season and last.

"I think in the last months we grow a lot, I think we are playing with more confidence and tomorrow the atmosphere will be electric so we have to manage our emotions, stay calm and believe.

"We improved a lot already as a team and the next stage is to beat teams like Barcelona. It is a great challenge for us and a great