Part one: Every word from Erik's pre-Spurs presser

United are the visitors to Tottenham for Saturday's teatime kick-off (17:30 BST), and we'll be looking to build on the campaign-opening win over Wolves earlier this week.

Before our trip to the north of the capital, Erik answered questions from the press about Lisandro Martinez's availability, our away record and more in the first half of his pre-match press conference, which you can read - and watch - in its entirety below...

Erik, good afternoon. First of all, can I get your reaction to the fact that Harry Maguire is not now joining West Ham? From your perspective, what happened to ensure that that deal didn't go through?
“Well, that process, that's what I don't know. Only Harry is a player from us, I'm happy he's here. So, we need a good squad. We have four good centre-halves, even with Luke Shaw if you count him we have five, and we need that because we’re going to play 50 or 60 games this season. All the players are internationals, so we have a lot of load to cover. So, I'm very happy Harry Maguire is here. He has to fight for his position, as [does] everyone in the squad. So, we construct a squad with the double positions, but we need it.”

When you say he has to fight for his place, realistically, what do you think he can expect in terms of game time? What opportunities will there be for him?
“It's up to him.”

What does he have to show you?
“He knows what I expect from him.”

Can you expand on that for us and tell us what you expect?
“I think I'm now for one year here. You know what I expect from a centre-half and he can do it. I told you many times before he has the abilities to do it, so now he has to show it. It's about character, to be convinced to play that role. He has all the abilities to do it, and it's up to him when the time is there.”

Finally, from me, does that mean as well in this transfer window, you're not looking to bring in another centre-half because obviously you said the options that you already have here? And do you feel you still need to do business in the window in other positions as well? If so, what is it you feel you need to do before that window shuts?
“Our squad is covered. All the positions are covered. But yeah, of course we are Man United, we are always looking for improvement. When there's the opportunity, we will strike also in the last two weeks.”

Home form has been very impressive over the course of the last year, but it's been difficult at the sort of bigger away games. How will that be put right do you think, this season?
“Well, this is one of the aims we have for this season, that we have to step up in away games to get more points, to bring higher levels, because that is the foundation for, of course, for more points. So, it's often to do with personality. So yeah, that's the demand from me on the players and that we have to show more personality on the pitch to win such games. And so to get more points in away games.”

Do you have any injury issues or any team news? And were you able to give players more minutes in the practice game with Everton this week?
“Yeah, I think it's very helpful to give players the minutes at the start of the season, come back in 90 minutes after pre-season. It's not that we had a pre-season for six weeks, it was more or less four or five weeks. So, we need such games to give all the players the opportunity to get into the season.”

Lisandro obviously went off at half-time on Monday. Is he going to be available to face Tottenham?
“He was just training, so I think so, yeah.”

And in terms of the rest of your squad, you obviously say you're happy with it. If you want to go into the market over the next couple of weeks, is that going to be dependent on players leaving first?
“As I said, we [are] always looking for opportunities, but I think we have a good squad and with this squad, we are convinced that we can go for our targets.”

The club put out a statement about Mason Greenwood yesterday (Wednesday). With that hanging over you, with the ownership situation still unresolved, how much does that affect you and the players? Is it easy to ignore? Is it something that concerns you a lot?
“No. We focus on way of play, we focus on team performance. It's about the players who are available. And so, we're focusing now on Tottenham Hotspur. And every start of the season is difficult. We know that. We are really aware of it, so we had the start [against Wolves]. We know the performance was not what we hoped, but we want [to win] and it showed the character and the personality and that is one of the things we had to step up in, according to last season.”

Your job is clearly preparing for Tottenham, but Manchester United's women's team obviously have several players involved in a World Cup final this weekend. I just wonder how you feel about those women being out there, what your message is to them as a club this weekend?
“Oh, it's great. First, a Dutch manager [Sarina Wiegman] doing a great job for England. She’s doing a great job for England, so I'm very proud of her. Coming from a Dutch school. But of course, I am a supporter and a fan of the England women's team and I really cross my fingers and hope that they return with the World Cup.”

Can I ask about Jonny Evans’s situation? When does that short-term contract he signed run until? What do you see happening with Jonny? Does this situation depend on Harry Maguire?
“The [answer to the] last [question is], no. No, it doesn't affect that. We will see. We are in talks and when we have news, we will bring that as always.”

So, is he under contract as the moment?
“In this moment, [he’s] not. I have to say, it's a short [deal] for [last] month [July], he’s under contract. But we are talking.”

Would you like him to stay?
“Yeah. Otherwise, we would not talk.”