United vs Spurs | Every word of Roberto De Zerbi's pre-match press conference

Here's what he had to say...

Micky and Jan Paul van Hecke suffered injuries with the Netherlands - are they out, and who else is also unavailable for tomorrow?

Roberto: "No, they are available to play. Micky played four games, 90 minutes, around 90 minutes. JP played just three games, the difference is this. JP, yesterday, wife gave birth to twins, emotional aspect. We have to consider also this one, but both are available to play."

How difficult was it to finish the international break with a defeat? Or has it been good for you to maybe reset?

Roberto: "No, it's difficult. It was very, very tough, especially the first week. Yeah, but football is part of our real situation in this moment and we have to react, to work through this moment."

Are you excited to be back with a great match at Manchester United?

Roberto: "Yes, I've been waiting for this game for three weeks, because after the defeat at home against Aston Villa, personally I wanted to play the day after."

Did the fact that you scored two goals against Aston Villa maybe give you enough reassurance that you may have fixed the issues of scoring goals that you had in the previous games?

Roberto: "No, no. I think we created chances enough to score many other goals in these seven games. I think even this improvement, I think we had the qualities to score more goals. Anyway, the most important thing is to bring the ball in the goal area. In the goal area we went many, many times. We are fourth in the table. So, it's nothing, but I think we arrived there, but we are not good enough so far to score goals when we have a clear chance."

You talked a lot about the number 10 position, is tomorrow the day we could see James Maddison start?

Roberto: "He is available, but he lost three, four days in the beginning of this week and the end of the last week. Like I said many times, James is a special player for us, as a player for sure but also as a personality. Also Gallagher, I think he is playing well, especially in the last two games, Liverpool and Villa."

Tomorrow for you as Tottenham manager going into this game, does it feel like a very big game for the club?

Roberto: "Yes, because we are Tottenham and United and Tottenham are still big clubs in the Premier League. We have to deserve to work in this club, playing better and making different results."

Can I ask you about Porro and Mudryk, how they are doing and also what was the issue with James Maddison?

Roberto: "Maddison the same problem and Porro and Mudryk, both are not available. Pedro I think not for much time, many games and for Mudryk maybe something more."

Dejan Kulusevski is training, is everything going well with him?

Roberto: "He is working well, tomorrow he comes with us, also Porro. I want all players tomorrow, tonight and tomorrow, but he is working very well. I think he is an example for everyone, Deki Kulusevski. Forget the player, but the example of how he reacted to the injury, the reaction to being unlucky, the character he showed this time, was an example, a reference for everyone."

I know you are not putting any pressure on him, understandably, but how close do you think is he getting to being in a matchday squad?

Roberto: "I don't know. It's not just my responsibility, we are working together with the medical staff. They are working very well with him, they have done special work. We have to analyse week by week."

James Maddison has been out a long time, how frustrating are these little problems for both him and you?

Roberto: "I am frustrated or him?"

For both of you?

Roberto: "Both, because he is a good guy, he suffered to stay not on the pitch, to have the injury. Now it was not a big injury. Tomorrow he can play, but the Premier League is tough, physically it is a very strong competition and you have to be in the right physical condition to compete, to run, to fight. He is a number 10, a different player, but I think he is working well and this is the way. The way is to complete three, four, five weeks in a row without problems, without feeling pain, without feeling problems, and then he is a normal player, he has nothing special bad."

You had a lot of players still here during the international break and forward players like Solanke, Savio, Kudus, how important has this been for them?

Roberto: "They work very well and also Tosin Adarabioyo, also Marcos Senesi, Kudus, Savio, Dom Solanke, Conor Gallagher and Udogie as well. Yeah, I consider this part of work with me but I can’t forget the players in the national teams. We are just one Tottenham and nothing change if one player went to national team or another worked with me. We have to consider the many games in a row for Robertson, van de Ven, Bentancur and the trip of Bentancur. The decision of the first XI is just for that."

In the summer, it was well known that United and Tottenham both wanted Fernandes - he picked Tottenham. He’s not played as a central midfielder yet, but how important was it to sign him and when will he be ready to play in the centre of midfield?

Roberto: "Fernandes is a great player, maybe one of the best players in our team. He needs time to understand the club, he needs time to come inside well and better in the environment of Tottenham, but I have big confidence. He has to react. Life in football is tough, it’s difficult and the most important thing is the reaction to go through the problem. He doesn’t start the bad or worse than others but even well, he has to be stronger and he has all my confidence. He has all the confidence of the club but he needs time and we have to give him time."