Ten Hag and Fernandes on Galatasaray and Champions League chances

Rasmus Hojlund and Antony are in the squad after recovering from injuries, providing attacking options for a United side that will be without Marcus Rashford because of suspension.

Ten Hag believes United have improved since their loss to Galatasaray earlier in the group stage: "I think so, it will probably be the same for Galatasaray but I think we have improved. It's good progress, we are stepping up, we are more stable, we are winning games so definitely there is a big difference from the first time we played them."

Ten Hag does not have any concerns about selecting teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in such an important fixture, after an impressive display in his first Premier League start against Everton on Sunday. "If players are good enough, they're old enough," said the United boss. "We are very pleased with the performance, but it's one performance. You have to do it on a consistent basis. Kobbie is so mature and he knows that."

Fernandes is excited to play in an "intense" atmosphere and says the team are "focused" on getting the win they need to keep their hopes of qualification alive. "It's really important to be in the competition, we want to be in the middle of the best clubs in Europe," said the midfielder. "It's disappointing if we don't go through but I'm not thinking about that at the moment, I'm just focused on the game against Galatasaray because the only way we can go through is winning against Galatasaray and going to the last game with a chance to go through."

Fernandes explained why Marcus Rashford was chosen to take United's second-half penalty at Everton: "It was in the moment, I thought Marcus needed his first goal [for United since 3 September]. He is such an important player for us, last season he was our top scorer. Strikers and wingers need that first goal and after that they're straight back to scoring more and more goals. We need our strikers and wingers in the positions to score goals and to have the confidence to score them."

On how he feels about previous criticism of his captaincy, Fernandes added: "You don't like to be criticised, everyone is the same, but at the same time I have to do what I think is best for the team. I'm not always right, but in my head at that moment that's the right choice so I do it."