Erik ten Hag and Diogo Dalot addressed the media on Monday ahead of Manchester United’s crucial Champions League clash against Copenhagen.
Two defeats from the opening matches against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray in Group A, leaves United with an uphill battle to progress to the last 16 of the competition. It means that taking three points in Tuesday’s clash with the Danish champions could be imperative for United’s chances of finishing in the top two.
Copenhagen have picked up a point from the first two matches, losing to Bayern but gabbing a draw against Galatasaray. The Turkish side are also on one point after the first two matches, while Bayern have earned six following back-to-back wins. Therefore, three points for United on Tuesday could see them move up to second place in the table.
It’s set to be a poignant occasion at Old Trafford following the sad passing of Sir Bobby Charlton at the weekend. The club will pay their respects to the 1966 World Cup winner on Tuesday and also began Monday’s press conference with a minute’s silence.
Ten Hag spoke compassionately about Charlton ahead of the Copenhagen fixture and of his legacy at United.
The United boss was also quizzed by the Danish media about Christian Eriksen’s lack of starts in recent weeks, and about the impact of former Copenhagen star Ramsus Hojlund, who could come up against his younger brother, Oscar, at Old Trafford.
Here are the best bits from Ten Hag’s pre-match press conference…
5. Eriksen’s lack of starts
“You see his importance when he is on the pitch he has a big influence on our team by creating. He is a great player, he is a brilliant player and is very important for our squad. We have a squad where there is internal competition and in the back we have some struggle to line up. We don’t have so many numbers but in the midfield department there is huge competition internally in our squad.”
6. Hojlund to face his former club
“When you have a little bit of empathetic ability, you know it is a special game for him. He grew up there, in this club and you know he will be highly motivated but that’s for me, for the team and of course for him to send that in the right direction, the right balance.”
![“First we want to win, to tribute Sir Bobby Charlton but also you want to do that in a certain way and that is what we are aiming for but it is not always possible in football. Tomorrow, after the passing away of Sir Bobby Charlton - their hero, their legend, a giant, I am sure that [it ] will be even more very emotional [tomorrow] evening. I expect [that] tomorrow night. So, he is in front of Old Trafford with Denis Law and with George Best and he is always with us. They are always a huge inspiration for us every day, and so in every game.”](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmI3Yzg2NzE4LTRmODgtNDQ2Zi1hMjNjLTFkMWUxM2QyNDRhMzo1MjI2OTc1NC0zOGFmLTRmNjQtODcwNy0wZDQ0OGY0NTcyNjg=.jpg?crop=4:3&trim=&width=800)
7. Winning in Charlton’s memory
“First we want to win, to tribute Sir Bobby Charlton but also you want to do that in a certain way and that is what we are aiming for but it is not always possible in football. Tomorrow, after the passing away of Sir Bobby Charlton - their hero, their legend, a giant, I am sure that [it ] will be even more very emotional [tomorrow] evening. I expect [that] tomorrow night. So, he is in front of Old Trafford with Denis Law and with George Best and he is always with us. They are always a huge inspiration for us every day, and so in every game.”