Ten Hag talks Martinez and Ronaldo

The Reds will be hoping to close the gap on the Gunners and claim a fourth win on the bounce during the 16:30 BST kick-off at Old Trafford.

After impressive victories against Liverpool, Southampton, and most recently Leicester City, Ten Hag's side are in a good run of form heading into the game.  

And prior to the match, the manager was asked about recruiting players from the Eredivisie, Lisandro Martinez and also Cristiano Ronaldo in the second section of his latest media briefing, which you can see in full below...

Erik, some players have come from Dutch football into the Premier League and done very well like Luis Suarez or Ruud van Nistelrooy. But there are also a few like Davy Klaassen who have really struggled. What made you convinced that you can sign two or three players from the Dutch league and they will be capable of working in the Premier League?
"Firstly, the players we signed are internationals for their countries. Secondly, they performed really well in the Champions League. And third, when I look at individual skills they are capable of playing high intensity football."

Martinez might have gone to Arsenal. Was that an important signing for you, to build your team around a ball playing centre-back?
"Yes. I wanted him [for his] ball playing but also you see his defending capabilities, his toughness, his positioning, his anticipating, the togetherness. I know what he is able [to do], that is the base. He is doing well, but he has to do much better." 

Management in England... sometimes you put an arm around a player, other players need telling off. This is a new position for Cristiano, being a substitute. Do you think he is the type that responds to you being a friend or you being a teacher?
"I will be his friend and sometimes I will be his teacher, it depends on the situation. But as we all know, he didn't have [a] pre-season and you cannot miss the pre-season. It's a base. Especially in the game we play, the way of play, we play another type [of football] in comparison with last year so it depends on the demands, co-operation, and demands of certain positioning in and out of possession and the other thing is the fitness."