Every word from Ten Hag’s press conference: Part one

The Reds face the London club in the Premier League at Old Trafford and, ahead of the 16:30 GMT kick-off, the boss answered questions from reporters at Carrington on Friday afternoon during his media briefing to preview the fixture.

Ten Hag gave his take on Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs side, delivered fresh fitness updates on his squad and discussed Jadon Sancho’s loan to Borussia Dortmund, among other topics in the opening half of the presser, which you can scroll down to see in full.

Hi Erik, you've obviously had a lot of injuries to deal with over recent weeks and months... what is the situation heading into Spurs? Anyone back or unavailable that we're not expecting to be?
"I don't know... what do you expect?"

Lots of injuries...
"No, we have had a lot of injuries. This week in training, so the last couple of days, Licha Martinez [is] training, Casemiro [is] training, Luke Shaw [is] training. So, there are players returning, they are coming in for selection for Sunday."

So, that's a boost then. Anyone else? Antony? Eriksen?
"Antony, yeah. Eriksen was ill in the week, he will return. Antony will return. I thought you mentioned longer-terms and unexpected... but they will return as well. So, Amad will return. We have more choices in this moment in the squad to put out a starting XI and create a bench [that is] stronger."

One player who is not going to be available is Jadon Sancho, what are your thoughts about him moving to Dortmund? Clearly that has been an issue we've asked you about a lot, what do you hope to get out of this loan, as far as Manchester United are concerned?
"I hope he's doing well. So, I wish him the best of luck. I hope it will be a success."

The other player people are talking about is Hannibal, who obviously played the other night. Will he go on loan somewhere? Is that what you think now you've got all these players back?
"No, it's not... they are returning, you are a step ahead. When I talk about Licha Martinez returning, Casemiro returning for instance, they were a long time away. Mason Mount will return but take a little bit longer. There are some more, Tyrell Malacia will return as well, Victor Lindelof is also on his way back, but it still takes some weeks. It takes time to get back in match fitness."

So, is Hannibal going to go on loan?
"When we have the news, we will tell you."

Erik, you talk about the players returning, how much of a relief is it that you're finally getting more players back and more options?
"I'm not sure the word 'relief' is the right thing. First, it has to happen, that they are back. But it is positive that they are back on the training ground, and they go back to the team. And then to 100 per cent match fitness."

Just following up on Simon's question about Jadon Sancho, what does he have to do at Dortmund to get back into the first team at Manchester United?
"I already replied yes, I think it's enough."

Erik, Tottenham already provided stiff opposition when you played them earlier in the season, what do you make of them and what do you see in the job Ange Postecoglou's done to change the way they play?
"It's definitely different. I think it's a really big compliment the way they played, so he changed the environment there. They play really proactive, it's very enjoyable to watch them, with a lot of dynamics. Very proactive. And they combine it with good results. But also, when we played them over there, I think we can take belief out of that. I would say, especially in the first 35 minutes, we dominated them. And we should have gone in the lead. But we didn't, so we have to make our own luck and take control of the game, and then we have to finish the chances."

In terms of what you now want to achieve in the second half of the season, you talk about players coming back, returning to fitness, giving strength to the squad, you've got a mini-break coming up as well after this game... how much does it affect what you want to achieve, the result of this game?
"Sunday's most important and I don't look further than that. In the background, of course we organise. We know we have to prepare [for] the second half of the season, we have to make the best programme for all the players. So, we have a group of players who have to make the last step into match fitness. So, they need a different programme from the players who, all the time, were available and had a tough programme in 2023. So, that will be a little bit [of a] different approach in the coming weeks, to the next FA Cup round."

Erik, just talking about injuries, you said a couple of weeks ago you had 10 different centre-back combinations this season, how important is it for you to have a settled back four in terms of the rhythm of the team and their composure?
"What you actually want is a team with stability. It doesn't matter if you have to swap one player for one game to the other game or maybe two, but not so many swaps as we were forced to in the last year. As I said previously, even over my total course here, we didn't have the opportunity to play so often a fit squad where you can pick the team. It depends on the approach you want to take to a game."

You mentioned Antony's back, he's a player you know well when you bought him. The club backed your judgement and paid a big price for him, but this season he has no goals, no assists. Are you surprised by that? And how do you explain how he has struggled in the Premier League, because obviously you knew him at Ajax? Can you explain why it is and can you understand why fans are losing patience with him, because he's not delivered on the fee yet?
"I can explain, it's very simple. I think his off-field issues stops him playing. I don't agree, I think his first year was okay, and I think pre-season was very okay. First four games were very good. For instance, I've seen the game against Spurs back, he played a very good game over there. But from the moment he was out and then he came back, he didn't deliver the performance we should expect from him and he can do so much better. If you mention Ajax, also I looked back there. His effectiveness, his end product was very high there, also in the Champions League, [it was] very high. So, I'm sure he's capable of doing this by bringing key actions, key passes, the crosses, the finishing. His end product in Ajax was very high, he should return to those levels but of course the Premier League is more difficult. He's capable of doing it."

Do you still think he's being troubled by the off-field issues? You mentioned that, do you still think that's mentally an issue?
"It has had an effect. It has had an impact on him, definitely. He has to deal with that, he caused them, so he has to sort them out. We will give him all the support but he has to do better."

Erik, Dave's mentioned Antony there and some of the other guys have mentioned Sancho, the club signed 13 players for more than £50 million pounds in the last nine or 10 years... Pogba, Antony, Maguire, Lukaku, Sancho, Casemiro, Hojlund, Fernandes, Di Maria, Martinez, Mount, Wan-Bissaka and Fred... obviously there's a couple there that it's still early days with, but why have so few failed to really deliver for the price tag and expectations on them? And how important going forward is it if players are brought into this football club for big money that they really do justify that price tag?
"First of all, and I've said it more early on, playing for Man United is so much different to playing for any other club. It's so much more difficult to play for Man United and to perform for Man United as you can do for any other club. So, you need very strong character to perform, to deal with high expectations. Of course, when the price is too high, then the expectations will rise even more so you need even more strong characters. But I said it previously, this is the best club you want to play for, this is the best challenge you want to go for. And so, I would go for that challenge if I had a choice to make if I was a player and the opportunity came up. But be aware, and I don't want to mention a particular club, but it's so much easier to perform in a lot of clubs than at Manchester United."

But if you look at say [Manchester] City who have spent similar amounts on... I think they've signed 15 players for more than £50 million... Grealish, Gvardiol, De Bruyne, Dias, Rodri, Laporte, Cancelo, Haaland, Doku, Mendy, Stones, Kyle Walker... a lot of those players have really delivered for the money, there's a huge contrast in the success of City's big-money signings and United's big-money signings. Is it an identification issue, that you may be targeting the wrong players?
"So, I know everything is very highlighted in the moment, the performances are not there but don't forget last season everyone was telling the signings from Manchester United were very good. Because as a team we performed. Everyone was telling how great Licha Martinez was doing, everyone was telling me Christian Eriksen is a top signing, Malacia very smart. Then we had Antony, was doing okay. So, I want to say Casemiro, brilliant everyone was telling last season. So, we judge them in the moment, and I think all the signings are top players. What we have to find now is a way that we perform as a team, as a club, then you will judge them very differently. We have to understand and acknowledge that we have to do it together, we have to be on the same page, we are in the same boat. We have to perform together and then all those players are very good signings."

Anthony Martial was injured for almost the entirety of the summer and he couldn't change clubs. He's been unwell for all the transfer window so far which would prohibit a possible transfer, is he okay? Do you expect him back any time soon? Some fans are speculating he's trying to dodge a transfer...
"He's not fit. So, he's not okay. We want all the players to be fit and prepared for the game. In this moment, he is not. We have to make him fit. It's his job as well to get ready for the next game, but in this moment he isn't. He is in medical treatment, and he has to recover."

Part two of the press conference will be available from 22:30 GMT on Saturday (13 January) evening.