Erik ten Hag with rallying call for his Manchester United team ahead of facing Newcastle United | OneFootball

Erik ten Hag has been looking forward to Sunday afternoon and the game at St James’ Park.

A match that whilst it won’t decide the final Premier League placings, could go a long way to setting in motion how the two clubs get on in these final eight weeks of the season.

Whilst Newcastle United bounced back to form and six points in their last two Premier League matches, before the international break Manchester United were humiliated 7-0 at Anfield and then lucky to get a point from a goalless draw at home to rock bottom Southampton.

As the Premier League table on Sunday morning now shows…

…a win for Manchester United today would take them six points clear of Newcastle United and what would look a very dominant position in third.

However, Eddie Howe’s team will replace Man U in third if getting a home victory, which if then twinned with Tottenham avoiding defeat at Goodison Park on Monday night, would see Erik ten Hag and his players drop to fifth.

As I say, nothing final will be decided today BUT it could go a long way to deciding the respective momentum of these two teams in the final two months of the season.

No wonder Erik ten Hag has declared ‘The season actually starts now…’ ahead of what looks a key clash with Newcastle United.

Erik ten Hag asked how important this Newcastle United match is and if Manchester United are up for the challenge?

“We are looking forward to a big test and big challenges and it [Newcastle United] is a very good team, a very good manager.

“Their way of play is really well structured, so we have to play our best football, we know that.

“We like the challenges and we are really looking forward to Sunday.”

Marcus Rashford missed the England games with an injury, how is he progressing and is he available at the weekend?

“I think so.

“He returned back into the team training on Thursday, so we are quite positive that he’s available for Sunday.

“So of course we are happy with that because he’s a very important player for us.”

How about the rest of the squad after the internationals and the ones that remain, how are we looking for the trip to Newcastle?

“Quite positive about all of the players.

“Christian Eriksen is back on the pitch, not yet in the team training but I expect him in the coming week, weeks, back in team training so will be available for games again. So we know how big an impact Christian Eriksen had on our game.

“But also others like Anthony Martial also returning in team training and we had no injuries luckily from the internationals.

“That’s always a concern as a manager when the players leave you, how you get them back and especially in this stage of the season when it comes to the end, to the final stage.

“The season actually starts now, and we have to be ready for that start and we are in the right position but we have to take this great opportunity to restart very well and then improve our game, and win big games.”