Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is eagerly anticipating his first game in the FA Cup as a manager.

The Dutchman is ready to take on Everton at Old Trafford on Friday, with United hoping to win a trophy this season.

While the FA Cup is not given the same value by fans as the Premier League or a European trophy, ten Hag believes it is a “high value" trophy that his side must aspire to win.

He told club media: “Yeah, I always looked to the FA Cup final at Wembley as a great event. It's massive. It's much more important, I would say, than in the Netherlands, but in the whole continent, Europe took over what was in England. Cups are becoming more important, more significant in Europe as well.

“We had that approach with Ajax always. We wanted to win the double. Although the cup was not a big prize – because you are not entering the Champions League – it's a trophy of a high value."

On their opponents Everton, he added: “It's a really good opponent and we faced them once already in the league. It was a good game our side but at that time they were really on track. We faced them in the winter break [in a behind-closed-doors game] and they have great players and a great manager, so I'm sure tomorrow they will be highly ambitious to win that game.

“They showed [at the weekend] against City, where they had a really good performance and they got a point. It was well deserved. We know we have to be ready for that game. We know we have to put the energy in and we know we have to be at 100 per cent to win that game. When we are not, then we get killed. That's not what we are aiming for, that's quite clear."