Every word from Erik's press conference

Following consecutive home defeats against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, the onus is on the Reds returning to winning ways ahead of the upcoming international break.

With the Bees next to arrive in M16, the boss spoke about our sidelined players, Marcus Rashford's form and win percentages, among a host of other topics at Carrington.

Scroll down to both read, and watch, everything Ten Hag had to say to the media this afternoon, while our video begins with a special appearance from John Shiels, chief executive of the Manchester United Foundation...

Hi Erik, we have just heard from John [Shiels] about the winter campaign that is running tomorrow. You have donated your own coat, so how much do you encourage fans to support this? How important is it?
“I think it's important that we are together [as a] society. We have to support everyone who has problems, difficulties. I think everyone who has it very good, you can give something that is a part of you. You can share something definitely, so hopefully this campaign, everyone is supportive of it. Give everything you can, because I think many people can give something.”

In terms of the football at the moment, what qualities do you need to see from your team tomorrow in order to get yourselves out of what has been a really difficult run?
“Consistency, that is the problem we are struggling with. In parts of the game, in big parts of the game, I would say we do a lot of things right. But then we have moments where we are struggling and in such moments we cannot survive. In this moment you have to do the right things, survive and in the job, be consistent with the communication. When you do that you keep the right organisation and you do it like before. Definitely, you can mark such moments when we score a goal or concede a goal as decisive moments that are going against us, then we lose a little bit as a team. But for over 95 per cent of that, we are [acting] as a team, so keeping doing [this] all the way through. So step up.”

Have you worked on why the team is struggling in those five per cent moments? Have you worked out the reason for that?
“It's difficult, but of course you do research and you point at it. We spoke about it with the team and how we can improve that fact. We make some agreements about it, yeah.”

And what is the reason? Is it concentration in those moments, pressure in those moments. What is it?
“I think it is more than one factor. Concentration is one but there is also other things, the most important in the moment is that you keep on one page. That starts again with concentration.”

How ready is [Sergio] Reguilon to return?
“Not for tomorrow.”

How ready is Antony?
“I think he is ready to start.”

Marcus Rashford has one goal this season, this time last season he had five in nine. What difference are you seeing in his play at this moment compared to last season?
“That is of course the team and him. It is both, so I am sure that you are always not at the same levels. Of course everyone knows the qualities of him, but also the opposition knows the qualities [of him]. But if Rashy [Marcus Rashford] is doing the things right and the team is doing the things right, we will put him in the right places and then it is up to him. We have seen in the last [few] weeks that he is coming into good positions, [but] now he is struggling. This will pass because everyone knows his qualities. Everyone at Man United supports him and the whole team is supportive of him, believes in him. So I am sure with that confidence and belief that the team is behind him. This will change and it will pass.”

Where would you say his own confidence is at? Is it just the case of needing that spark to click for him again?
“That is always so. Strikers when they don't score for a moment they need that one goal, then they step over [it]. It will come and he is so experienced, he knows that as well. When he is doing the right things and the team is doing the right things, that momentum will come and he will be on fire.”

I know you have a new goalkeeper and you haven't had a settled defence all season, but you have conceded 18 goals in 10 games so far. If you haven't got any of those injured defenders coming back soon, what can you do to fix that?
“This is what we we're just talking about over the last few days about communication. Of course the routines that you make when every game changes, the routines are a little bit less. 99 per cent [of the time] in top football, if you make mistakes, a top team will punish you. We have talked about how we need to be on the same page, we need communication in such moments and that we are organised. Then it is about the player and the willingness to be in the right spot and make the right decisions in the moment.”

Another thing is that your win percentage has seemingly dropped dramatically since your League Cup win last season. You were up at 69 per cent won before that and now you are down to around 50 per cent. Do you think there has been a sort of hangover from that cup win, do you think some thought the hard work was done and have rested on their laurels slightly?
“It's a fact and so we dropped in levels and we are fighting again to get back to those levels. There are reasons for [it] but it is not acceptable. We have to fight against it and every team we put out, they have to be on one page. But as I just explained, the routines in this moment are not always there. But they have a good foundation in the way of play, [in the] rules and principles. When you keep that foundation and cover each other, support each other, then we will play better.”

Hi Erik, with the international break coming up, does it make it more important to go into that on a positive note tomorrow?
“It is true but every game we have to win. So that will always be the case and the approach will not change for any game.”