Friday 15 March 2024 14:32
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag underlined the magnitude of our Emirates FA Cup quarter-final with Liverpool during his press conference to preview Sunday's 15:30 GMT kick-off.
Up for grabs in this weekend's showdown at Old Trafford is a place in the last four of the prestigious competition and the bragging rights over our historic Merseyside rivals, in the first cup clash between the sides since the 2020/21 campaign. The boss called it “a special game” as he looked ahead to the encounter with reporters at our Carrington training ground, earlier this afternoon. Here, you can see a round-up of all the key pre-match quotes from part one of the media briefing, which Erik began by delivering the latest on recent absentees Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Part one: Press conference v Liverpool Video
Part one: Press conference v Liverpool
Press conference part one | Erik gave a positive update on the squad, while previewing our FA Cup tie with Liverpool...
A PROMISING INJURY UPDATE
"We had a good week. All the players you mentioned they returned on the pitch. Partly in the start of the week and today we had a session that they were all training. I think we have tomorrow one session, we have to see how they recover from this tomorrow. But it looks good."
HEATON BACK, MOUNT NEARING RETURN
"So, Tom Heaton is back as well. Also, what was very good was Mason Mount trained also all week with us, the first part of the week also partly. But then, also he had some full sessions with us, so it's looking good."
A SPECIAL FIXTURE
"Some games are bigger than others, that's definitely [true]. I think Manchester United v Liverpool is always a big game, but especially when it's the quarter-final of the FA Cup. We're really looking forward. It's a special game, absolutely."
FANS WILL BE BEHIND US
"Of course, to the fans, they see it as a very big game, they are very eager for us to win this and I'm sure they will be right behind us. As you mentioned, there are more Liverpool fans [than usual in the stadium]so they have to be really loud to support us, so that we hear them. But I'm convinced they will do that, absolutely."
THOUGHTS ON LIVERPOOL
"They are very consistent, and they perform very well, they got the results. Especially, I would say, around Christmas to January, February. They played very good football, [have] very good performances and very good results."
PLAN FOR SUNDAY
“We will go and be brave and go forward where it's possible. Also, we know, when there's space in the back of their defending line, we can exploit it. But we have to get to that point, to outplay them, to get the balls there, and that demands a good strategy in the key moments of football."
Part two of the press conference will be available on ManUtd.com and in the United App from 22:30 GMT on Saturday.
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Friday 15 March 2024 14:32
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