Erik: United competitive despite injuries

Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford were not fit enough to be part of the squad, while Amad and Jonny Evans were substituted during the second half, and Scott McTominay played the full game despite also appearing to be struggling.

The game was settled by Leandro Trossard's 20th-minute goal, after Kai Havertz was played onside.

Ten Hag said that, other than that mistake, his side executed his instructions well and he saw a lot to be positive about, even if we could not find a way past the league's best defence.

Read the boss's key quotes, given to MUTV, Sky Sports and the media, after the final whistle...

A POSITIVE PERFORMANCE

“We were very competitive. And you see, even when we miss six, or seven [of our] potential starting XI, maybe even more, we can bring performance and we can bring a level. And on Monday night [at Crystal Palace], that was a very bad day at the office, I would say from all the players, very poor and isn't acceptable. But today we have shown when we have that good spirit that we can bring a performance.”

A SPIRITED SHOWING

“Mostly this team has always the right spirit and they always execute the rules and the principles from the game, how we want them to play and even if they have to adapt to different positions, where we are now with all the injuries. And so yeah, I can only be happy. And I think it’s a compliment for this team that the ones who played, they executed with all that they could and they were competitive and they were fighting. And then you see you can get a result.”

DECIDED BY A MISTAKE

“Yeah. It was a bad moment our side and it shouldn't happened, but that is top football. It’s a detail and in that detail we were wrong and we have to take that. But, of course, it's very hard in this moment.”

WE DIDN’T CREATE ENOUGH

“We see the record. The [Arsenal] defensive record is very good, and you have to be very good on the ball and to hammer them and that is probably when I want to be critical. That's a factor. We could have done better, but for the rest of the game, I think a lot of good things I have seen.”

CREDIT TO OUR FANS

“I think the fans understand where we are, where this club is. We have so many injuries and especially in key areas and they don't get what they deserve, the fans, but they understand this and that's why I think they are behind the team. They see most of the time a team that was fighting for each other but has the right spirit, and I think that's why they are with us. We are united. We are. We have a strong bond and hopefully we can pay them back in the future.”

INJURIES HAVE AFFECTED US

“I don't know where we should be when we had all the players on board, but definitely it is if there are players all on board, then you will get more points. Definitely you will [have] more consistency, especially in the backline because yeah, now we concede a lot of chances, a lot of goals and last year we had the most clean sheets in the Premier League.

"Any manager can always do anything better, but now after two years here, I have only had one time where I have had a full group of players. You can't progress a team when in particular in certain key areas, it is like swimming with your hands behind your back, then you have to keep your head up and above the water level, this is what we are trying to do. Still we are in a cup final, this is good but if you want to progress a team we need fit players. You have seen with our opponent today that only one player for [Arsenal] was not available. We had so many."