Erik ten Hag urged Manchester Unitedthe players to forget their thrashing 6-3 by Manchester City in October because they can only change the future, not the past.
United host Pep Guardiolaon Saturday but rather than using his first Manchester derby to motivate his players, Ten Hag will tell them to be brave to play, but without being naïve.
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scored hat-tricks in the game at the Etihad Stadium as United trailed 6-1 before a late Anthony Martial brace.
But Ten Hag said: “It’s not about this game anymore. It’s about the past, it’s about the future, you can’t change the past, but you can change the future.
“It was a lesson and we took that lesson and from that moment we make huge progress so we have to keep improving. That game was a setback. We can all find reasons why , but you always have to act, deliver.
“As a manager you have to go through certain stages, you need a clear philosophy, a clear point where you want to go, a direction, and then it’s about development. That’s what we did, but like many things in life, especially football, there is never an end point.
Ten Hag will urge his team to focus on themselves rather than worrying about City. He explained: “The opponent plays an important role in football but you have to play your best game.
“That’s what I demand of my players, play your best game with confidence, don’t be naive and act like a winner. It’s about the mental approach and the attitude, so we have to be courageous, act with conviction and play our game.”
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