Ten Hag: We are as motivated as we can get

The Reds face the Blues at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon, in the first-ever major final contested between the two sides, as Ten Hag’s side look to finish the season on a high.

The first part of Erik’s pre-match press conference was released at 13:30 BST on Friday, but the second section is now also available to watch and read.

Erik was quizzed on topics such as Anthony Martial’s injury, Pep Guardiola and more, so scroll down to indulge yourself in everything the boss had to say...

Just with Anthony Martial, the club said it was a muscular tear. Is that going to be a long recovery time for him, or will he be fit for pre-season?
“Yeah, it's going to be a long one, but how long? We don't know. We have to do more assessments.”

And just looking ahead to the game on Saturday. It's going to be difficult for you with selections. There are going to be certain players who are going to be disappointed. When will you have those conversations? Will you have those conversations with players who will have to be left out of the squad for Saturday?
“Yes, of course. There will be always be disappointed [players], about the start XI [and] for the bench. But I think it's a normal process in Manchester United and we have to deal with it. The players have to deal with it, the squad have to deal with it. And so I make the choices.”

Having worked with Pep [Guardiola] when you were at Bayern Munich 2, what insight can you give us that makes him so special?
“Oh, I don't tell. Obviously, we have seen what he's doing. He is doing a brilliant job and what he can do. He can construct teams, not only in winning teams, but also he's winning in a very attractive way. So that's why I think we all admire him.”

Apart from the first time that this club won the European Cup in 1968, the Treble season of 1999 is probably the one thing that Manchester United supporters hold as their own above anything else, which nobody else has ever done it. So I know that you try and play it down, but if you were to stop Manchester City doing that on Saturday, your supporters will sing about this weekend for the next 50 years. Do you have any real appreciation of what that really means?
“Yes, I know. I know what the thinking is from the [supporters]. But what we want is to restore Manchester United by winning trophies. So on Saturday, we have the opportunity to win a trophy, and we don't want to be distracted by anything. And yeah, if it's important for the fans, then it's important for us. So we will give everything to win the cup.”

Manchester United have won the FA Cup many times, why not use it as extra motivation? Why shy away from it? Why not embrace it as a motivation?
“Because it's not necessary. That will not give more motivation to the team because their motivation is already enough and that can't be more. They want to win a cup and they have an opportunity. They want to set a crown on the seasonand so what more do you need? What is more motivation?”

When you beat City in January, there was a lot of controversy over the equaliser scored by Bruno Fernandes. Manchester City were obviously unhappy about that. The goal stood. Do you feel that you need to win on Saturday to almost prove that that wasn't down to luck, that victory over City?
“I wouldn't explain it in that way because I also seen the xG from that game and it was really our side.”

So you don’t feel there was any fortune at all with that decision? 
“No, I don't think so. I say when you see the xG in that game it was absolutely on our side.”

And what for you, in your opinion, was the key to beating Manchester City because you made some tactical changes then didn't you? You brought Fred into the starting line-up?  What was the key for you to beating them?
“There are many. All big games are always decided by details but there's a plan and the construction of the plan is based on many facts. And you can’t point out one that is a major decision and probably a detail like that, that moment in the game. Moments in games decide top games.”

How much did you learn from that 6-3 earlier in the season? Because you said afterwards that Manchester City taught you a footballing lesson and you took the lesson. What did you learn from that defeat?
“That is, I think you can't say learn. You learn always and you learn from that defeat. You learn from the win as well. And but I can't say afterwards that I learned something from that game. So we won the second game. I don't think so.”

Well, after the two games against City this season have created two very different results of 6-3 and the 2-1. What do you think the biggest difference between those two games was? Was it a mentality thing for your players? Was it a tactical thing? How can you go from losing a game 6-3 to then winning one the way you did, 2-1?
“The belief. In the Etihad, we didn't show belief. And I think at Old Trafford, we were determined to win this game from the first moment on.”

Do you see the same belief now ahead of Saturday?
“It's up to us that we show the same belief.”

It’s United's 62nd match of the season. Obviously, you've had to deal with a lot off the pitch as well. And obviously the demands of Manchester United. How have you found your first season? How draining has it been, or have you enjoyed that challenge?
“Well, I enjoyed it definitely. And I think it was a great journey this season, of course. And you always enjoy more when you see the progress of your team. If you see a team is developing, if you see individuals developing and if you work in togetherness [it’s great]. All can confirm this, all three things: like team, the individuals and also the way we work together in this club, it's very good. So for me, so far it's a great season.”

A lot of matches in finals recently have gone some extra time the match last night did as well [Europa League final]. How much of that is a factor in the starting line-up or will it just be a case of putting your best team out from the get-go?
“It's true. Extra time and our team is fit that [we] showed the fitness outputs. So that gives us confidence.”