Q & A: Evra Chasing Goals

Sir Alex may have rotated his right-backs this season but there’s only one man for him at left-back.

Patrice Evra has been a revelation since arriving in January 2005 and continues to be one of the most reliable players at Old Trafford. But aside from doing his bit defensively, the former striker says he's determined to make a goalscoring contribution this season…

Firstly, are you worried about the points advantage that Liverpool and Chelsea have at this stage?
No, it’s too early. The league is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Of course, Liverpool and Chelsea have done well, but it’s about who does well towards the end, not just at the start.

How pleased are you with your form? You seemed to just pick up where you left off last season…
It wasn’t easy at first, I missed a lot of pre-season because I’d been at the European Championships. I felt confident when I came back, particularly after what we achieved last season, but you need be careful because that success is in the past and you must look forward and keep improving. At the start of each season I tell myself ‘Pat you have won nothing.’ That way I can focus on helping the team win as many trophies as possible. When you are the champions it’s more difficult to keep hold of your trophies, but the challenge to do that is very exciting and I think about it every morning.

Did signing a new contract in the summer give you any extra focus?
It was a great feeling and a very easy decision. It was always my intention to stay at United and the club showed that they wanted me to do that. I want to win more trophies and I know I am the right place to do that.

You seem to have developed into the complete left-back, but are there areas of your game you still want to improve?
I need to continue to defend well, but this season I really want to score more goals. I know I have the ability, but so far I haven’t been able to do that regularly at United. Of course, first and foremost I am defender and I need to do my job well, but I hope I will get the opportunity to create and score more goals.

You play against some of the best players in the world every day in training, how does that help your game?
When you play against the likes of Ronny, Wayne [Rooney], Carlos [Tevez] or Berba, you’re not scared of anyone. They are all top players and every day I work with them I feel like I improve. I remember when we played Barcelona last season and I was up against Messi, I was confident before the game because it was nothing new.

You’ve made over 100 appearances for the Reds now, how would you sum up your time at United to date?
I just thank God every day for helping me live my dream. So many players would love to play for this great club, but only a few get the chance. That’s why every time I go out on the pitch I try to respect the shirt by working hard and enjoying every minute. It’s unbelievable to have played over 100 games and I hope I will play many more.