Erik's press conference - every word, part two

Erik also discussed his belief in the fighting spirit of his team and the tools he is using to address issues he has identified in certain areas.

The Reds are looking to return to winning ways this Saturday night, with our away game against Burnley arriving in the middle of a hectic run of fixtures.

Keep on scrolling to watch and read every word the boss had to say in the second part of Friday afternoon's press conference...

Erik, with Mason Mount nearly fit to come back into the team, would you consider playing him on the right wing, given that you’ve not got many options there at the moment?
“This has been discussed before, but we have options on the right to fill this in and we will see how we fill it in. As I say, we have the options, but also they have to be available and then, yeah, you have to get the routines in. But yeah, the principles and rules, they are clear.”

I think you said last month after the Tottenham defeat that some players didn’t run. There were some clips from the game in the week where it appeared as though the players weren’t running, weren’t busting a gut. Did you notice that? Is that a concern?
“It’s always a concern, when we didn’t run, but I think against Bayern it was not the case. But in certain situations, yes. So, it’s also recognised and in which situation and then it’s about didn’t they recognise it? Didn’t they scan it? And didn’t make the right decisions or is it about willingness? So, against Spurs, yeah, we didn’t run too much and we had a game last where we didn’t do the same, we didn’t run. But I think against Bayern, we did our best for physical outputs, but I think we didn’t always run in the right moment.”

Mr Ten Hag, eight of your goals conceded this season have happened shortly after a restart. Are you concerned at all by how your players focus after conceding or scoring a goal?
“Not concerned, but we are aware of it. And so, of course, you can't close your eyes for things like this. And so, we coach the players, we coach a team, in that fact.”

In pre-season, you said you wanted United to be the best transition team in the world and you want to play with speed. Do you worry at all about the speed at which other teams are attacking you?
“Yeah, but when you also make the analysis of the goals against, I think in the defence transition we are quite good. But when they started an organised situation, we weren’t always that good.”

Is there a specific reason you're not that good in the defence transition?
“There are reasons, but when you explain reasons, you will make from it our excuses. So, I don't want to talk about. So, just I have to coach my team and to put to them the conclusions and I have to make them aware of these conclusions and then also to give them solutions for it.”

So, you have a plan for sorting this?
“Yeah. Well, that is my job to give solutions for the problems which are there.”

On Wednesday, you said that part of the problem with the defending was possibly the mentality of the players, not the whole problem, but part of it. Is there any concern or worry that you've been in the job a year now and you're still talking about the mentality of players? Because it's understandable that individual mistakes might happen, but the players have been with you for a year now and they will know your standards and what you expect of them in that area.
“So, we have shown that we can do it. Last year we, for instance, had the most clean sheets in the Premier League because of the team, because we defended very good as a team. And so, we have to get back to that standard. And of course, I'm pushing the team, I'm demanding that from the team and from the start of the season. But human beings are not robots. And so why they are not doing it? Yeah, I try to find out and I try to give the solutions and I also try to motivate the players to do the job.”

Do you know why they're not doing it?
“No, but when you are in a period like we are in now, you always as a manager ask yourself these questions. And my job is to get them do the job.”

One of the big things you did last season was get a spirit back amongst the team. You know, when you were in problems, the spirit brought you through. Has that spirit gone a little bit, do you think? At the moment.
“You can see if you bounce back, like in Munich, that you can't say the spirit is not right and then they can fight back? I think we have other problems than that.”

And they are?
“All the time we talked about [them].”

People say that it's been said that this constant takeover in the background is a reason that filters down, can that make any difference whatsoever?
“I already explained, reasons will be excuses, so there are no excuses. We have to perform.”

Erik, you said a minute ago that you want to try to find out why players aren't running and taking your messages on board. How do you do that? Do you go to them one to one? Do you ask the captain about it and what's the actual process?
“As a manager, you have many tools and make sure I use them. And I would not say all because there are many ways to do it. And you have to be creative. You have to be inventive and innovative, but you can be sure, I use many.”

Can you share the examples about what you do?
“You do it. You do it in groups. You do it in the team. You do it with individuals. You do it over video. You do it in personal talks. So, many, many tools you have and you have to put in and to coach your team and to get them in the right direction.”

Erik, apologies if you answered it before, I was struggling to hear. Is Jadon Sancho unavailable then tomorrow? Is he one of the unavailable players?
“He is not training with the team.”

Okay. Can we assume from that, it is because he's not yet apologised, that he's not training with the team?
“I think let's focus on Burnley. I think we have said anything about it.”

As for some of your longer-term injuries - Shaw, Malacia and Wan-Bissaka. Have you got specific timescales yet when you know they might be back?
“Of course, we have plans also. We have plans for that. We have prognosis, but I don't want to share them.”