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Erik ten Hag would not be drawn on whether Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund will take part in Manchester United’s trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the game, the boss said “it’s very good news they are back in the pitch. They are back in team training, we have to decide whether they are fit enough to start [on Saturday] but it is very pleasing they are fit and back in the squad.
“We have so many games in this block to cover, so very very happy. We have to make the final call, they did a couple of training, we have to see how they recover and tomorrow they will make the final call.”
On being careful with injuries, he added:
“In top football you always go to boundaries. It’s not avoidable but when you have a full squad available then it’s easier to manage the load when you are in circumstances like last season and there is a need to play, we have to overload them. We hope we can integrate them in a very careful way.”
The boss was reminded of the 4-0 drubbing in the same fixture last season and rolled out his usual injury excuse, saying:
“It was a 4-0, totally deserved, but Saturday will be different. I don’t compare. From February onwards we had to find 11 players to construct a team. Now it is 18 and we can pick one.”
In case we hadn’t heard there were injuries last season, he repeated:
“Maybe you can also compare it with the FA Cup final. Don’t compare it. The circumstances in that moment in the season, from February on, we had to find every time 11 players who can construct a team and now we are in a different place, we have 18 players and we can pick a team.”
On Marcus Rashford scoring in consecutive games, the manager said:
“Very good, of course, your striker starting to score when the season is very young. Strikers need that belief. Very good for the team. It will strengthen their belief”.
Attention then turned to another winger, Antony. Ten Hag was asked to comment on his reaction to his performance in midweek against Barnsley, when he won and converted a penalty.
“I think every player should give those reactions. You have to train hard, you have to perform in training, you have to earn the right to play, and when the moment is your chance, you have to take them,” he replied.
Saturday’s match at Selhurst kicks off at 5.30pm.
The second part of the press conference is embargoed until 10.30pm tomorrow and will be covered in full by The Peoples Person.
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