Every word of Erik's press conference
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag spoke to the media on Friday afternoon, and answered questions ahead of our trip to Southampton on Saturday.
United travel to the south coast for a 12:30 BST kick-off, where we'll go in search of the first competitive away win of Ten Hag's tenure.
The Dutchman fielded queries on new signing Casemiro, future transfer incomings and outgoings, plus much more.
With part two being held back until 22:30 BST on Friday evening, here's everything Erik said in part one of his press conference...
The Dutchman fielded queries on new signing Casemiro, future transfer incomings and outgoings, plus much more.
With part two being held back until 22:30 BST on Friday evening, here's everything Erik said in part one of his press conference...
Part one: Ten Hag's Southampton press conference Video
Part one: Ten Hag's Southampton press conference
Press conference | Watch part one of Erik's media briefing before the big match at Southampton...
Erik, first of all, what's the team news coming into this game?
"We will see tomorrow. The manager knows, but I will first tell the team and we will see tomorrow."
Is everybody fit, and how is Casemiro coming along?
"Anthony Martial is not fit."
What effect has Monday's win over Liverpool had on the group?
"The spirit was already good, but now it is even better. But it's only one game, so we have to build further. We have to develop and I think everyone is aware of that."
"We will see tomorrow. The manager knows, but I will first tell the team and we will see tomorrow."
Is everybody fit, and how is Casemiro coming along?
"Anthony Martial is not fit."
What effect has Monday's win over Liverpool had on the group?
"The spirit was already good, but now it is even better. But it's only one game, so we have to build further. We have to develop and I think everyone is aware of that."
How important is that [win] to what you're trying to achieve here, and the end goal?
"Yeah, I think it helps of course, because as I said before the game, Liverpool is – especially last year – the best playing football team for me in the world, and when you beat them it must give a lot of confidence."
Going into this weekend, what are your thoughts about Southampton and that challenge?
"It's a different challenge so I'm really curious: did we learn the lesson from Brentford? Because this will be more or less the same approach. It's about transition, it's about running, it's about battling and fighting, and then we have to make it our game. So it's a real challenge for us to do that."
"Yeah, I think it helps of course, because as I said before the game, Liverpool is – especially last year – the best playing football team for me in the world, and when you beat them it must give a lot of confidence."
Going into this weekend, what are your thoughts about Southampton and that challenge?
"It's a different challenge so I'm really curious: did we learn the lesson from Brentford? Because this will be more or less the same approach. It's about transition, it's about running, it's about battling and fighting, and then we have to make it our game. So it's a real challenge for us to do that."
Just from the team news, what is the situation with Anthony and will Casemiro be fit to start the game?
"Casemiro is fit, yeah. He did all of the training sessions. He trained first individually and the last [few] days he trained with the team."
What's the situation with Anthony Martial?
"Casemiro is fit, yeah. He did all of the training sessions. He trained first individually and the last [few] days he trained with the team."
What's the situation with Anthony Martial?
"Yeah, he came out with a problem on his Achilles out of the [Liverpool] game, so we have to wait. I cannot tell a prognosis [on] how long it takes. Of course, I hope that he will be available for the next game."
Ten Hag asked for team news Video
Ten Hag asked for team news
Watch what the manager said when pressed on Casemiro's fitness and Anthony Martial's injury...
Are you expecting this to be a busy week in the transfer market?
"I don't know, but we said: we need players, [it's] clear, but we need the right players. That is what we've said the whole transfer window and we are happy [with] what we have done until now. But the barrier has to be high."
We saw Eric Bailly leave this week – are you expecting more players to go out then? Phil Jones, Brandon Williams and Axel Tuanzebe – what's their situation?
"It can be [that they leave] but, who you are talking about, they are in this moment not available. So I don't think they will go out in this window."
"I don't know, but we said: we need players, [it's] clear, but we need the right players. That is what we've said the whole transfer window and we are happy [with] what we have done until now. But the barrier has to be high."
We saw Eric Bailly leave this week – are you expecting more players to go out then? Phil Jones, Brandon Williams and Axel Tuanzebe – what's their situation?
"It can be [that they leave] but, who you are talking about, they are in this moment not available. So I don't think they will go out in this window."
Will there be more transfer activity? Video
Will there be more transfer activity?
Erik ten Hag was asked if there will be more ins and outs during the transfer window's final week...
Erik, you ran over 18km more against Liverpool than against Brentford. How difficult is it to sustain that for tomorrow?
"We need to have a high standard, so it's a demand to the group, to all the players to do that and now they see what the reward is. So we have to match the runs in and out of possession. So also in possession, we need runs, we need movement. If you want to dictate a game you can do it in more ways but also we want to do it in possession and of course out of possession, organisation and intensity has to be always right to get a result."
Is there more pressure on you with the ball in this game as well than Liverpool?
"I think in every game there is pressure on the ball, and it is our intention to make the game. But as I said, Liverpool's a really well playing team, There will be more occasions where you are out of possession and if you want to get a result you have to do your work well. But that is also what you have to do when you are in a game when you have maybe more possession, but there are always occasions where you don't have the ball. Then, you have to be 100 per cent disciplined to do your job and to act as a team. To make the good pressure and that starts with certain compact. That is the job, what we have to do."
"We need to have a high standard, so it's a demand to the group, to all the players to do that and now they see what the reward is. So we have to match the runs in and out of possession. So also in possession, we need runs, we need movement. If you want to dictate a game you can do it in more ways but also we want to do it in possession and of course out of possession, organisation and intensity has to be always right to get a result."
Is there more pressure on you with the ball in this game as well than Liverpool?
"I think in every game there is pressure on the ball, and it is our intention to make the game. But as I said, Liverpool's a really well playing team, There will be more occasions where you are out of possession and if you want to get a result you have to do your work well. But that is also what you have to do when you are in a game when you have maybe more possession, but there are always occasions where you don't have the ball. Then, you have to be 100 per cent disciplined to do your job and to act as a team. To make the good pressure and that starts with certain compact. That is the job, what we have to do."
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