Erik ten Hag wants to concentrate on building a better version of Manchester United rather than growing talk of a Premier League title challenge.

United are five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, albeit having played a game more, after cruising to a 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford scored twice for United to take his tally for the season to a career-best 24 goals, giving the Red Devils control in a game that saw David de Gea twice prevent Leicester from taking the lead with fine first-half saves.

Jadon Sancho came off the bench in the second half to seal the points, sending United into a huge week on a high.

Ten Hag's men face Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday, having drawn the first leg 2-2, and then take on Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley three days later.

United are still in the hunt on four fronts, but Ten Hag is not paying any mind to discussion about a Premier League push.

"We don't think about that, we think about tomorrow, we have to be a better version of ourselves and that is what we have to work for," Ten Hag told the BBC.

"We are in February, don't look far ahead."

While Rashford played a starring role, Bruno Fernandes was an excellent supporting actor, registering seven key passes and two assists in a game that saw 45 shots, the most in the Premier League since United's clash with Burnley in October 2016 (also 45).

"Leicester is a great team, they played really well and made it really tough for us," added Ten Hag. "It was also by us, we didn't follow the rules and the principles of the game from our way of play and then you get punished.

"We were lucky, and it is only because of David de Gea that we don't concede a goal. Great saves, we were not disciplined, and it is not right.

"We came in at half-time and said it. We were 1-0 up, we knew also how to beat them because there was a lot of space in the midfield and behind their defending line. It was a good [opening] goal, once again a great pass from Bruno, great goal from Rashy and then we are 1-0 up. The second half was all us and Bruno Fernandes played a magnificent game.

"The team is putting Rashford in the right positions, especially Bruno, he creates how many passes, he gives behind, he crosses in. Not only Bruno but I think he is doing a great job.

"We need all players in form, but we have to follow the principles of our way of play and if we do that, we can play very well and we have seen that in the second half."

Marcus Rashford has no intentions of "slowing down" after continuing his impressive scoring form in Manchester United's 3-0 victory over Leicester City on Sunday.

Rashford was twice on target as United cruised to a straightforward win over Brendan Rodgers' side, moving five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, having played a game more.

The England international has scored 24 times this season across all competitions, his best return in a single campaign, with 16 of those coming in 17 games after the World Cup break.

He has netted 17 goals at Old Trafford in all competitions this term, the most by a player in a single season for United since Wayne Rooney in the 2011-12 campaign.

With a crucial week ahead, in which United face Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League play-off and meet Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final, Rashford wants to keep improving.

The 25-year-old told Sky Sports: "Overall a good day. They created good opportunities and David [de Gea] made a great save at the end of the first half, without that we can't go on to win the game.

"It's still early in the season, we're fighting for a lot of different things.

"We have another big game in the week to hopefully go through to the next round of the Europa League and then a massive game for us [against Newcastle].

"I don't feel like slowing down and always want to improve."

Erik ten Hag's side are seeking a first major trophy since completing an EFL Cup and Europa League double under Jose Mourinho in 2017.

While Arsenal and Manchester City appear embroiled in a two-horse title race, United are quietly creeping up on the pair.

Rashford says all Ten Hag's men can do is concentrate on themselves in pursuit of a first league title since 2013 under Alex Ferguson.

"We're close but both teams in front of us are good teams and playing good football," he added.

"We have to just focus on ourselves, do as well as we can and keep picking up points."

Marcus Rashford continued his remarkable goalscoring form as Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 Premier League win over Leicester City.

Rashford was on target with a brace at Old Trafford on Sunday to help United overcome a poor start and make it eight wins from their last 11 league games.

Jadon Sancho made sure of the points with a well-worked third for United, who are now only five points behind leaders Arsenal, albeit having played a game more.

The comfortable nature of the victory allowed United to rest Rashford for much of the second half ahead of Thursday's Europa League second leg at home to Barcelona and next Sunday's EFL Cup final against Newcastle United, in which they will look to win a first trophy since 2017.

Leicester dominated the early stages and would have taken the lead in the eighth minute if not for fine goalkeeping from David de Gea, who denied Harvey Barnes after he had played a one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho following sloppy play in possession from Fred.

The Foxes wasted several superb chances to open the scoring and De Gea was once again a thorn in their side when he produced heroics to claw away Iheanacho's goal-bound header from a Timothy Castagne cross.

Their profligacy was punished moments later when a lazy pass from Wout Faes was pounced on in style by United, Bruno Fernandes' throughball with the outside of the boot finding Rashford to lash into the bottom-left corner.

Faes was guilty of more questionable defending when United went close to doubling their lead, Diogo Dalot afforded too much space in the penalty area but unable to make telling contact with an excellent Fernandes cross.

United did make it 2-0 in the 56th minute when Rashford slid home after being played through by Fred, with the VAR deeming Faes had played him onside after the assistant had initially raised his flag.

Sancho then ensured there would be no Leicester comeback, slotting in from closing range after a neat exchange with the impressive Fernandes.

The Manchester United Supporters' Trust has expressed concerns around the two public bids for Manchester United and wants prospective new owners to "explicitly commit to backing" Erik ten Hag.

A 'soft' deadline for bids for United passed this week, with Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS and a Qatari group fronted by banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani announcing they had made offers.

However, MUST identified issues with both bidders in a statement released ahead of kick-off in Sunday's match against Leicester City.

Ligue 1 clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Nice are respectively owned by Qatar Sports Investments and INEOS, causing potential issues if United were entered into the same European competition as the pair. MUST noted "questions about sporting integrity".

It added there were also "questions about whether any bids will also be based on high levels of debt". The takeover by the Glazer family put United into debt for the first time since the 1930s, with that debt reaching £514.9million in their most recent accounts.

Apparently in relation to concerns around Qatar's human rights record, the statement continued: "We also note the importance that any owner respects the rights of all people, particularly women and the LGBTQ+ community."

MUST added: "We urge all bidders to open a dialogue with fans groups alongside the bidding process with the club, in order to discuss their proposals including the above issues."

Neither the INEOS nor the Qatari bid referenced manager Ten Hag, impressing in his first season at Old Trafford, and this was the final point made by MUST.

"Everyone can see the progress the team is making under Erik Ten Hag," MUST said. "After the frustrations of the last decade, it is clear that enormous strides are being taken.

"Any prospective bidder needs to explicitly commit to backing Erik and his plans to restore United to glory."

Erik ten Hag and his Manchester United players have no time to worry about the talk around a potential takeover at Old Trafford, the manager says.

A 'soft' deadline for bids for United passed this week, before which Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS and a Qatari group fronted by banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani made offers.

An end to the Glazer family's largely unpopular ownership of the club appears to be in sight, but United first have plenty to focus on the pitch.

Ahead of Sunday's match against Leicester City, Ten Hag's side are third in the Premier League going into a huge week that includes a Europa League second leg against Barcelona and the EFL Cup final against Newcastle United.

For that reason, takeover talk is of little concern.

"There's movement around the club, but it's not up to me," Ten Hag told Sky Sports.

"The owners of the club are taking this stuff – I have to manage the team, make sure the team is performing and we get the right results in.

"Every third day we have a game, so I don't have time to get involved in stuff like this."

He added: "It's not distracting us. We're focusing on football. We're focusing on our games, preparing and training. That is our job to do. It doesn't distract us. So far, so good."

While United have a relentless schedule, Wembley opponents Newcastle have a clear week ahead of a long-awaited final appearance.

But Ten Hag said: "It's a big advantage for us, I would say. We are used to playing big games. That will be a huge advantage for us."

Sure to be key to United's hopes against both Barca and Newcastle is Marcus Rashford, who has scored a remarkable 14 goals since returning from the World Cup in December.

The England forward is out of contract at United at the end of next season, and his future will have to be a top priority for any new owner.

"Of course it's a priority," Ten Hag said. "We will work on that. Sit, wait, but in the background, we're working hard."

Marcus Rashford is in talks over an extension on his Manchester United contract, which currently expires in mid-2024.

Rashford has scored 22 goals in all competitions this season, including a run of 14 strikes in 16 games.

Last off-season, United triggered a one-year option to prevent him becoming a free agent in June but interest in Rashford is ramping up amid his hot form.

TOP STORY – MAN UTD PLACE £120M PRICE ON RASHFORD

Manchester United have slapped a bumper £120 million price tag on in-form forward Marcus Rashford to ward off interest, claims The Daily Star.

Rashford, who is in the form of his life, has been the subject of reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

Barcelona are also monitoring Rashford according to the report, with United are desperate to retain his services amid talk of a change of ownership at Old Trafford.

ROUND-UP

– Chelsea and Bayern Munich are among the clubs lining up to sign 19-year-old Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini who is valued at €40m according to Football Italia.

– Manchester City are set to reward Nathan Ake with a new contract offer, which represents a 50 per cent pay rise, according to the Daily Star. The Dutchman's weekly wages will rise from £80,000 to £120,000.

– Juventus will rival Liverpool in trying to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount in the off-season, claims CalciomercatoWeb.

– Fichajes reports Tottenham are looking to sign Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger after this season.

– Newcastle United want to bolster their ranks by luring Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, according to Fichajes. Rabiot's contract expires next season.

– Football Insider reports Liverpool are tracking 19-year-old Independiente defender Kevin Mantilla who impressed during the recent Under-20 South American Under-20 Championship with Colombia. The Reds have held preliminary talks with Mantilla.

The Premier League title race took another twist on Saturday, with Arsenal now back atop the pile.

Manchester City's 3-1 win at Emirates Stadium in midweek had seemingly given them control of the two-horse race for the trophy.

But City's failure to build on that success and Arsenal's late heroics on the road at Aston Villa mean the Gunners have a two-point lead over Pep Guardiola's men with a game in hand.

Elsewhere, Liverpool boosted their top-four aspirations while denting those of Newcastle United, who have now won just one of their last seven Premier League games.

Here, Stats Perform looks at Saturday's biggest games through the lens of Opta data.

Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal: Jorginho and Martinelli produce late show

Saturday saw Arsenal reassume command of what is fast becoming an engrossing title race, but it looked for a long time as if they would suffer another setback.

The Gunners appeared set to settle for a 2-2 draw at Villa Park, only for Jorginho's rasping injury-time drive to cannon off the crossbar and then deflect in off Emiliano Martinez. Gabriel Martinelli made it 4-2 in the 98th minute.

It marked the first time Arsenal have scored a 90th-minute winner away from home in the league since Martinelli netted against Crystal Palace in May 2021, which was also the last time they scored twice in the 90th minute in the same game in the competition.

Arsenal's joy should be tempered somewhat by defensive concerns.

Indeed, Arsenal have now conceded the opening goal in four of their last five Premier League games, one more than they did in their first 18 games of the 2022-23 campaign (3).

Chelsea 0-1 Southampton: Saints pile pressure on Potter

The result was overshadowed by the head injury suffered by Cesar Azpilicueta, but it was an extremely significant one for Southampton, who boosted their survival hopes by completing the league double against Chelsea for the first time since the 1987-88 season.

Defeat for Chelsea was their first at home against the team starting the day bottom of the Premier League table for the first time since April 2014 vs Sunderland (1-2).

The Blues have lost three of their last six Premier League home games (W2 D1), as many defeats as in their previous 25 league games at Stamford Bridge combined (W13 D9), that run piling the pressure on manager Graham Potter.

Chelsea's latest home loss was engineered by James Ward-Prowse, who in scoring his 17th direct free-kick goal in the Premier League moved just one behind record holder David Beckham (18), netting 13 of them away from home.

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Manchester City: Forest hold champions at bay

If Forest do manage to stay up, their home from will be a significant reason why. They are unbeaten in eight home games in the Premier League (W4 D4), their best home unbeaten run in the top-flight since a 20-game stretch between February 1995 and January 1996.

Prior to this stalemate, Forest had lost their last seven Premier League games against the reigning champions, by an aggregate score of 29-3, including a 6-0 defeat to Man City earlier this season. They avoided defeat against the reigning champions for the first time since December 1994, when they beat Manchester United.

Bernardo Silva's fine opener initially looked like it would be enough for City to take all three points and return to the top of the league, and continued a recent theme for the Portugal international, who has 32 Premier League goals for the club. Three of his last four goals in the competition have been scored from outside the box, with only three of his first 28 coming from distance.

Jack Grealish laid on the assist for Silva. Grealish has been directly involved in six goals (2 goals, 4 assists) in the Premier League since the conclusion of the World Cup. Grealish had one goal and no assists in eight league appearances this season prior to the World Cup break.

Newcastle United 0-2 Liverpool: Pope sends Magpies hopes up in smoke

Newcastle have an EFL Cup final with Manchester United to look forward to next Sunday, but they will be without goalkeeper Nick Pope after his red card in this one for handling the ball outside the area.

Pope's red card was the fifth instance of a Newcastle goalkeeper being sent off in the Premier League, with only Liverpool and Aston Villa (6 each) seeing more keeper reds in the competition. 

He conceded twice before being sent off in the 22nd minute - the earliest a goalkeeper has conceded twice and been sent off in a Premier League game.

Those two goals came inside 17 minutes and were as many as Newcastle had conceded in their previous eight Premier League games combined, proving enough to extend the Magpies' winless league run against Liverpool to 13 matches (D4 L9) and end their 17-game unbeaten run in the competition.

The Reds are the only team to beat Newcastle in the Premier League this season, with victory coming on the back of just their second away clean sheet in 2022-23.

Ansu Fati can follow Marcus Rashford's example and turn a promising start into a flourishing career, according to Barcelona head coach Xavi.

Teenage Barcelona forward Fati has had a stop-start beginning to his time in the spotlight, with injuries and a dip in form seeing him struggle to establish himself as a starter.

He has featured in 47 first-team games for Barcelona over last season and the current campaign but has started just 13 times, netting 12 goals and adding three assists.

This season he has six goals in 32 appearances, having managed the same number in 15 games during the 2021-22 campaign, and his shot conversion rate has plummeted from 24 per cent last term to just 9.38 per cent this time around.

Fati turned 20 in November and Barcelona see the Spain international playing a big part in their future, although they might like to see the return of the 2019-20 Fati, who hit eight goals as a teenage sensation.

In every season except this one, Fati has exceeded his expected goals (xG) tally, which assesses the quality of chances and the likelihood of a player scoring. This term his xG total stands at 7.87.

Asked whether Fati might become Barcelona's equivalent to Manchester United's Rashford, Xavi said on Saturday: "He has the potential to be. It is clear we have a lot of hope in him.

"We will give him confidence. Performance will mark his development. He will be important. He is being and will be."

Rashford was a teenage star whose game briefly went off the boil after a fast start. He featured in 53 games in the 2016-17 campaign as United won the EFL Cup and Europa League, their last major trophies, and Rashford hit 22 goals in the 2019-20 season followed by 21 in the next campaign, before managing just five in the 2021-22 season.

This season has seen 25-year-old Rashford back to his best, matching his best season haul of 22 goals by netting against Barcelona on Thursday in a 2-2 Europa League draw.

LaLiga leaders Barcelona host Cadiz on Sunday, wary they lost 1-0 in this fixture last year.

Barcelona are unbeaten in their last 12 LaLiga games (W11 D1), and victory over Cadiz would see them bring up a seventh consecutive win in the competition, matching their best run under Xavi, twice achieving seven-game runs previously.

Striker Robert Lewandowski scored and had two assists when Barcelona won 4-0 at Cadiz in September, the only time he has been involved in three goals in a single LaLiga game.

Xavi has urged Barcelona to make the most of having one of Europe's deadliest strikers as the spearhead to their attack.

With just one goal from his last five games, this is a lean patch for Lewandowski who has had 19 shots across those fixtures.

Xavi said: "He was extraordinary and now he's lower, but it's not bad. I'm happy with him because of how he works and moves. Maybe we have to use him more. He's a top player who makes a difference.

"He's always a danger. He links well and gives assists. You have to play more with him."

Barcelona will make changes with next week's second leg of their Europa League play-off against Rashford's United in mind, and midfielder Pedri misses out with a hamstring problem.

Jim Ratcliffe has pledged to "put the Manchester back into Manchester United" after submitting a bid to buy the club through his chemicals company, INEOS, also targeting Champions League glory if his takeover is successful.

British billionaire Ratcliffe became the first suitor to formally register an interest in a takeover after the Glazer family announced in November the club had been put up for sale.

On Friday, which represented an apparent 'soft deadline' for offers to buy United, a bid led by Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani was made public.

Widespread reports then emerged that Ratcliffe had also tabled an official offer for the Red Devils, which INEOS confirmed with a statement on Saturday.

Should Ratcliffe succeed in gaining control from United's unpopular owners, the 70-year-old says he would make the Red Devils "a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership".

"We can confirm that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have submitted a bid for majority ownership of Manchester United Football Club," the statement read.

"We would see our role as the long-term custodians of Manchester United on behalf of the fans and the wider community.

"We are ambitious and highly competitive and would want to invest in Manchester United to make them the number one club in the world once again.

"We also recognise that football governance in this country is at a crossroads. We would want to help lead this next chapter, deepening the culture of English football by making the club a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership.

"We want a Manchester United anchored in its proud history and roots in the North-West of England, putting the Manchester back into Manchester United and clearly focusing on winning the Champions League."

Ratcliffe, who already owns Ligue 1 club Nice and made an offer to purchase Chelsea prior to Todd Boehly's takeover last year, is thought to be the preferred bidder of many United fans.

The Glazers' ownership of United has been the focus of fan protests for several years, with their initial takeover coming in the form of a leveraged buyout that saddled the club with huge debts.

United revealed their net debt increased from £419.5million to £514.9m in the year leading up to June 30, 2022 in their most recent accounts.

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has submitted a bid to buy Manchester United through his chemicals company INEOS, according to reports.

Ratcliffe, a lifelong United fan, will be up against Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani.

Qatar Islamic Bank chairman Al Thani, who is the son of a former Qatari prime minister, earlier confirmed he tabled an offer that will not carry any debt and vowed to reinvest all profits during his stewardship back into the club or community.

Al Thani's offer was made public roughly two hours before an apparent 'soft deadline' of 22:00 GMT on Friday, though the exact figure on the table was not revealed.

Ratcliffe had previously been the first to formally lodge an interest last month after the incumbent owners – the Glazer family – announced in November the club had been put up for sale.

The Telegraph quoted a source close to INEOS as saying: "His aim is to be a long-term custodian of Manchester United and set the standard for a progressive approach to club ownership.

"As locally born, he wants to put the Manchester back into Manchester United."

The Glazers have been deeply unpopular among supporters during their 18 years as stewards, predominantly down to their initial takeover coming in the form of a leveraged buyout, which saddled the club with huge debts.

In United's most recent financial figures, released in September, the club revealed their net debt increased from £419.5million to £514.9m in the year up to June 30, 2022.

Speculation over the past few months has run wild with regard to prospective buyers, with Elon Musk, Apple, Jeff Bezos, and a Saudi Arabian consortium all credited with varying degrees of interest.

But talk of Ratcliffe and a separate Qatari-backed bid had long gathered the most traction in the media, and it is the former many United fans are thought to favour.

Ratcliffe's company INEOS already owns Ligue 1 side Nice and has been routinely linked with Premier League clubs in recent years, even tabling an offer for Chelsea in 2022 prior to their sale to Todd Boehly and his Clearlake consortium.

His long-held affinity for United is an understandable positive for fans hoping for a return of the glory days.

Though, for many fans, siding with Ratcliffe comes as much from a place of uncertainty due to the Qatari bid's potential ties to Qatar's state.

The 2022 World Cup host nation has been widely derided for its human rights record ever since being given that tournament in 2010.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani, chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank, has confirmed the submission of a bid for a complete takeover of Manchester United.

A 'soft' deadline was reported to have been set for 22:00 GMT on Friday, with a Qatari contingent and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe expected to present offers.

The Old Trafford club's deeply unpopular owners, the Glazer family, put United up for sale in November after 18 years as majority shareholders.

The Glazers have been criticised by supporters throughout their stewardship, but it would appear their time in charge is indeed coming to an end, despite rumours suggesting some members of the family want to hold on to the club.

While Ratcliffe, owner of chemicals company INEOS, confirmed interest last month, Al Thani is the first to publicly declare the submission of a legitimate offer.

A widely reported statement read: "Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani today [Friday] confirmed his submission of a bid for 100 per cent of Manchester United Football Club.

"The bid plans to return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch, and – above all – will seek to place the fans at the heart of Manchester United Football Club once more.

"The bid will be completely debt free via Sheikh Jassim's Nine Two Foundation, which will look to invest in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience and the communities the club supports.

"The vision of the bid is for Manchester United Football Club to be renowned for footballing excellence, and regarded as the greatest football club in the world. More details of the bid will be released, when appropriate, if and when the bid process develops."

Manchester United fan group Rainbow Devils expressed "deep concern" about the club's potential next owners on the day takeover bids were due to be lodged.

Qatari interest in United has been strong and reports have positioned a bid team from the Middle East country as the front-runner to buy out the Glazer family, who have been majority owners since 2005.

There has also been speculation of a possible offer from Saudi Arabia, while British billionaire and United fan Jim Ratcliffe may also look to acquire the club.

Tesla and Twitter magnate Elon Musk has been touted as another possible bidder, with a deadline of 22:00 GMT on Friday having been set for offers to be made.

The Rainbow Devils group, which was founded in 2019, did not specify which of the potential bidders it was concerned by, but said new owners must guarantee to be accommodating to those from all walks of life.

In a statement on Twitter, it said: "Rainbow Devils believe any bidder seeking to buy Manchester United must commit to making football a sport for everyone, including LGBTQ+ supporters, players and staff.

"We therefore have deep concern over some of the bids that are being made. We are watching the current process closely with this in mind."

United fans are anxious to see the back of the Glazer ownership era, and some have indicated they would have few reservations about who comes in to replace the Americans.

That was reflected in a stream of confrontational and dismissive quote-tweet replies to the Rainbow Devils' message, although some welcomed the group's stance.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia have faced criticism over their human rights records, particularly regarding attitudes towards and treatment of women and LGBTQ people.

French giants Paris Saint-Germain have been owned by Qatari investors since 2011, while Newcastle United were bought out by a Saudi-led consortium in October 2021.

Brendan Rodgers wants James Maddison to sign a new contract with Leicester City but will not be "begging" the England international to stay.

Leicester signed Maddison from Norwich City in 2018 in a deal reportedly worth £20million and has since gone on to become one of the Premier League's best attacking midfielders.

Although injuries have troubled him this season, Maddison has been involved in 21 goals in his last 19 Premier League starts, scoring 13 and assisting another eight.

His 14 goal involvements in the top flight this term is bettered by only six players, all of whom have played at least 500 minutes more than Maddison.

But his contract is due to expire at the end of June 2024 and Leicester do not appear to be making much progress on a new deal, meaning a sale at the end of the season is increasingly likely.

Rodgers is prepared to move on, however, adamant one player leaving is not a catastrophe.

"It's been a conversation the club have been having with his representatives for a while, so nothing's changed there," Rodgers told reporters ahead of Sunday's trip to Manchester United.

"His contract is clear where it's at. For me, it's about making sure James is playing at the best level he can be, and thankfully he's doing just that. He's staying available and fit.

"It'd be great [if he signed a new deal]. He's a top player in the league, he's shown that in his time here, gradually.

"You can see that development take place. We improve players and give them great conditions to work in, but I won't be begging a player to stay.

"They get great support here and if they've been here, they understand what the club is about. This is a great club, great facilities and they have to understand that.

"But it's a short career and they have to think about the future. I understand what they're thinking."

More pressing than contract talks, however, is the upcoming clash at Old Trafford.

Rodgers expects to have Youri Tielemans, Boubakary Soumare and Maddison – whose record of no goals in eight games against United is his worst record versus any club in the Premier League – available for the match after recent fitness issues.

Leicester head into the game on the back of something of an upturn in form, winning their past two Premier League matches, though they have not won three in a row since January 2021.

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United must put themselves in a strong position in April before considering whether a Premier League title challenge is possible this season.

United approach Sunday's meeting with Leicester City five points adrift of both Manchester City and Arsenal, although the Gunners have a game in hand on both of their rivals.

The Red Devils have beaten both City and Arsenal at Old Trafford this season, albeit while losing both away fixtures.

After losing the first two matches of the league season, United have since earned more points than any other team, prompting discussion of an unlikely title tilt in Ten Hag's first season.

But the manager is not yet ready to look so far ahead, saying ahead of the Leicester game: "We don't think about it so far.

"What we have to do is to put ourselves in the right position in April. 

"Our thinking can only be on the next game. We always have to be better than the previous game and think about it game after game, to put that energy and focus in.

"It does mean that we have to win on Sunday and that we have to collect the three points against Leicester. And that demands a lot of energy and demands high standards."

United produced another positive display on Thursday as they earned a 2-2 draw at Barcelona in the Europa League.

Success in that competition represents another potential route to Champions League qualification for a United side seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham in the Premier League, and Ten Hag recognises his team are in a good position to rejoin Europe's elite.

"We are in the right direction, but we have to fight for it," Ten Hag said. "There are two ways. One is the Europa League and the other way is the Premier League. 

"So, we know what to do, and we will see it from game to game and fight to get back in the Champions League."

With United still involved in four competitions, they could play as many as nine matches before the next international break in late March, but Ten Hag believes his players are relishing the challenge.

"The players in our squad like it. They like to play big games, and they also know as a team and as individuals, you grow from such games," the Dutchman said.

"[Against Barcelona] we played better players and a better team, so that will help us in our process. We are in the right direction, so we have to keep this process going. 

"We will analyse again, we will criticise what went well and what went wrong, and we move on to Sunday. Next game, next big game."

Erik ten Hag will let Manchester United's money men get on with the process of selling the club as the Dutchman waits to see how it affects his leadership.

A 'soft' deadline is said to be coming on Friday at 22:00 GMT, with a Qatari contingent expected to lodge an offer, while British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe may also bid.

Others could come forward, with United looking set to perhaps pass entirely out of the hands of the Glazer family, who have controlled the club for 18 years.

Ten Hag has delivered a turnaround of fortunes on the pitch this season, with United just five points off the top of the Premier League after 23 games, sitting third.

They have an EFL Cup final against Newcastle United coming up on February 26, offering the chance to win a first trophy since the 2016-17 season.

Asked about the prospects of new investors coming in and the possible distraction a sale process may bring, Ten Hag said: "I've been following it, it's our club. And of course, we are committed. But we are focusing on football, training and our way of play on games.

"That is what we are focusing on, and we really enjoy it in the moment with togetherness, and it's enjoyable to work, and we are focusing on games. Others in the club will have to take decisions and give efforts in the process, but it's not up to us."

It will be for the likes of United chief executive Richard Arnold to answer questions about the club's future.

Ten Hag was asked whether he had spoken to Arnold and the Glazer family about what could occur with the prospective takeover.

"No," he said. "From the start, they informed me how the process will go. I focus on football, they are focusing on other departments of the club, how to get everything, for instance, financed."