**Team news?**
We have to manage a lot of the players. Some of them are probably not going to be fit tomorrow, some of them are still doubts. We still have 24 hours to make those decisions and hopefully they’re the right ones.
**How frustrating has this been?**
It is what it is. We have to accept the challenge, and there are opportunities for other players (that come). In the ideal scenario, we are in charge of those decisions because it (injuries) is forcing us to make them for the wrong reasons. But we need to accept the reality and move forward.
**How hard is it to play the football you want to without the backline you want?**
I’m really happy with the way we are playing. The good thing is it’s not conditioning the team in such a way where we have to become a different team. I’m very pleased with that, the way the team is adapting and the way players are making the effort to play in different positions. Hopefully the ideal situation will come up very soon
**Do you feel you need to create more chances from open play?**
We want to create more from every angle. From set pieces as well we could have created more. We created and should have scored another two. So always try to evolve and be better.
**Is the feeling around the place after Fulham different than previous set backs?**
Yeah and the more I watch it to concede what we conceded and how the hell we managed to draw that game. So we will adapt and keep our heads up. It was very emotional as well because scoring the goal at the end and having it disallowed was tough. We have to move. Every three days is an opportunity and we have to keep going.
**What did you learn from the Champions League last season?**
We have to do a lot of things that we do in the Premier League. The tendency is to look at the Champions League it’s something else. How big is the Premier League? How big is the Champions League? The tendency is to say the Premier League is this size and the Champions League is this size. We face incredibly difficult opposition every week. That’s the thing. So when we face an incredibly good team like Monaco who is doing really well we are so used to it because we play opposition like that every week. It’s learning about certain things and certain scenarios that are different because Champions League is different in certain ways. But there are lots of similarities where we have to compete like we do in the Premier League day in day out.
**Have you noticed any changes in Odegaard since the birth of his son?**
That’s for him to discuss probably, but I’m so happy to see him growing, surrounded by our club and our people and making them feel happy that it’s the right environment for them to grow as a person, as a player and in this case a father. We are all happy with this great news for the team.
**Josh Nichols available?**
He’s been with some issues. We still don’t know if he is available or not.
**How is Jesus at the moment with his lack of goals?**
Like all strikers they go through phases and moments. It’s true that that gap has become quite big but there are a lot of things that happened there. Injuries and not starting games that much. His attitude has been really good. It always is. We’re going to support him as much as possible.
**There are reports in Brazil that he could leave in Jan. Anything to that?**
No, nonsense.
**You said after Chelsea that the injuries had been ‘an absolute nightmare’. Are you starting to feel like that all over again?**
I was hoping to improve it and it did improve. But very quickly after the first game we started to have issues, probably more issues than we expected. Honestly the good news is that the team reacts and continues to play the way we want regardless of who plays. I think that belief is within the team and that’s very positive.
**Is Tierney ready to start?**
He is ready, he’s training really well and he’s going to have an opportunity for sure. The way the team is looking at the moment, he is going to do that for that reason and because he’s earned it. The way he’s behaved, the way he’s been with us because he’s willing to it and when that happens, you have to give those opportunities to players.
**How much do the injuries impact the units?**
Yeah, because they haven’t played together enough. You have to alter, and you have certain positions, especially in relation to the outside play. Sometimes you have two, three or zero left-footed players and that effects our dynamics in certain ways and the way we want to attack. But we have to adapt and find ways to overcome that and still be very efficient and positive in the way we want to play. It’s been a good challenge.
**Any understanding of why the injuries keep happening?**
It’s a knock-on effect. We have a lot of joint (for example, knee) injuries which are very difficult to predict or assess. We have some through tackles that are quite difficult to avoid. The other one is probably overload, the amount of minutes they have to play. The knock-on effect of not having one or two players available means you have to put more stress and minutes into someone else. That’s not a good change because the consequences and loads of other players end up being much higher than you want. But this is where we are.
**Are you worried you’re not creating enough in open play?**
No I’m not worried. Watching the games back and seeing what we created in open play and what the opposition have created from open play I don’t know if we can do much more than that. Especially when we watch Fulham in previous games and how they’ve played.
Also the set pieces are consequence of what we do in open play and what we do defensively. It’s a phase that is part of that. I know you guys see it as (picks up two separate water bottles) this is set pieces and this is open play, but I see it as (picks up a bottle of Gatorade and begins to swirl it) this is open play and set pieces - they are all together with the restarts. But I respect that a lot. I don’t agree, but I respect it.
**What are your thoughts on Monaco?**
I’m really impressed. Really good side. You see the run that they’ve been on in the Champions League and the league against top opposition. So they’re a real threat. They’re really well organised, really intense and super good in transition so it’s gonna be a big test for us tomorrow.
**What are your memories of playing against them with PSG?**
Yes really good. We have a really good link with Arsene and Thierry. There is a big history there. It’s a very special club with a very special place. We welcome them here and hopefully be better than them and try to win the game.