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Former Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga is looking to prove Erik ten Hag wrong when represents Nottingham Forest against his former club in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday night.
As explained by The Times, Elanga will be looking to convince Ten Hag that it was a mistake to sell him for £15 million to Forest in the summer as he seeks to help his new team perform an upset at the City Ground.
Earlier this month, Elanga spoke on his departure from Man United, explaining that Ten Hag was not the reason he left the club. Still, it was Ten Hag’s decision-making that appears to have had an influence on Elanga’s Old Trafford exit.
Given his lack of game time, the young Swede thought it would be best to continue his career elsewhere so that he could advance it. Still, this decision proved to be bittersweet for Elanga, with the 21 year old admitting: “It wasn’t easy to leave United because I had been there for nine years from the academy to first team. But at the end of the day, I have to think about myself.”
Indeed, it appears as if Elanga is doing well to progress in his career this season, just as he set out to do upon moving to Forest.
He was Forest’s match-winner in their shock 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, while also assisting both goals in a 2-2 draw with Luton Town.
Today, he continues to be a crucial member of Forest’s attacking lineup, registering 12 goal involvements for his new club in just 27 appearances in all competitions (five goals and seven assists).
Speaking with The Times, Elanga admitted his regret that things didn’t work out under Ten Hag, explaining that he was excited by what the Dutch manager had achieved at Ajax.
Despite what could have been, Elanga is refusing to allow missed opportunities to affect his outlook, instead using them as fuel to excel on the field as he looks to prove that he can deliver against any team.
Still, he refuses to allow Ten Hag to get off that easily after his sale in the summer, particularly with Forest and United set to lock horns on Wednesday night.
“For me, it’s about showing I can do it against any team. Especially coming up against your old team you want to show them even more that you can do it,” Elanga affirmed.
United will do well to remember, however, that this certainly wouldn’t be the first time that Elanga hurts his former side should Forest walk away with a victory.
In December, Elanga assisted Forest’s winning goal as they defeated United 2-1 in the Premier League. With this memory fresh in mind, United would do well to not underestimate their former player and his teammates as they seek to keep their last hope of silverware this season alive.
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