Benni McCarthy: Bafana legend celebrated in Manchester United-Ten Hag accolade

• Ten Hag named Premier League Manager of the Month for September
• He led Red Devils to two wins in the month
• McCarthy working with Man Utd’s attacking department

WHAT HAPPENED? Manchester United manager Ten Hag was named as the Premier League’s Manager of the Month for September after beating Antonio Conte of Tottenham Hotspur and Gary O’Neil of Bournemouth to the award.

As the Dutchman collected the gong, the club labelled it a team effort in a photo that displayed every member of his technical bench, McCarthy included.

Ten Hag’s September award comes after leading the Red Devils to victories against Leicester City and Arsenal.

Marcus Rashford - under McCarthy's tutelage – was named the Player of the Month, making it a double for United.

Rashford scored against the Foxes in their first September match and handed the Red Devils a third consecutive victory after beating Liverpool and Southampton.

Days later, Rashford scored twice as Manchester United defeated the Gunners to bring to an end the London side’s unbeaten record in the season.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The former Ajax manager became only the second Manchester United boss to have won the accolade since the Sir Alex Ferguson era, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – his permanent predecessor at Old Trafford - was named Manager of the Month in February 2019.

It is also the second time the Manchester outfit have been handed both awards in the same month after Rashford won it alongside Solskjaer three years ago.

WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED? Ten Hag will be in charge of his first Manchester Derby when the Red Devils visit the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to face Manchester City, who have won their last seven Premier League home games, scoring at least three goals each time.

Ten Hag and McCarthy’s visit to the Etihad is made even tougher as Manchester United have lost 17 league games against the Citizens, only losing more against Liverpool and Chelsea (both 18) in the history of the competition.

But the September award should boost their morale as they hope to stop Manchester City, who are looking to win three consecutive league games against Manchester United for the first time since a run of four between April 2013 and November 2014.