Evans Eyes Goal Rush

Jonny Evans underlines the importance of Nemanja Vidic’s new contract and says he expects the goals to flow this season...

How important is it for United to make a strong start?
Last season we were chasing for a long time, but you have to look at our results at the end of the season as ones that proved costly. Chelsea at home and Blackburn away are the games that stick in our minds as the ones that cost us the title. We’re probably renowned for not getting off to good starts, and we’re three games in and two points behind. But things will always change, up and down, during the season.

There have been some hidings dished out so far this season; is someone going to take a hammering from United when everything clicks into place?
That’s something we’re aware of this year; that we should maybe score more goals and give some teams a good thrashing. That’s something we’ll look to do, but in terms of the big scorelines in the first two weeks of the season, I think a few teams were just caught unawares.

We’ve used 4-4-2 in our opening three games – has it been outlined to the players that that will be the more common formation this season?
No, not at all. The manager is very versatile in the way he approaches games. He’s not one to sit there, be stubborn and say ‘we’re playing 4-4-2 this season’. It’ll change from game to game and often within games, because that’s the tactical edge he’s had over the years and it’s made him successful.

How big a boost is it that Nemanja Vidic has signed a new contract?
I’m sure he’s delighted and the fans are delighted that he’s signed; we certainly are. He’s one of the best defenders in the world. He’s just an all-round natural defender who’s very strong in the air. He’s a good reader of the game, he’s quick and a real athlete. Playing alongside people like him, young players like myself can’t help but learn. It’s great to have players like that around the club.

How fierce is the competition for defensive berths now?
That’s what this club’s all about. There’s always a lot of competition for places all over the pitch. Michael Carrick’s been on the bench, Ryan Giggs only started his first game on Saturday, while Michael Owen hasn’t started yet. It’s quite frightening that big names like that aren’t starting, but this club is meant to have quality players pushing for a limited number of positions.

How do you feel your game’s developing?
I’m taking each game as it comes. You do set yourself targets throughout the year and I do want to improve a lot more. Admittedly against Fulham I wasn’t up to my usual standards and I didn’t have the best of games, but sometimes you have to accept that and look forward to rectifying your mistakes in the next game and keep improving with each performance.

The fan’s question...
Is it true that your family missed some of your games when you were on loan at Sunderland because they were at Old Trafford watching United? - Scott the Red, Manchester
If it was a big game then they would have come up to watch me, but we’re a proper United family! We’ve been living over here in Manchester for seven years now and my Dad has probably only missed a handful of United games in that time, and those would have been to watch me or my brother playing.

Quick questions
Are you involved in the predictions league at Carrington?
Yeah, and I’m currently fourth bottom so that’s not going well for me (laughs). I started well last season, gradually got worse during the year and I’ve carried that on this year.

Your brother fancies himself as a Playstation whizz – can you dispute that claim?
No. Corry and I have always been total opposites in terms of computer games. He was this computer geek who would always beat me whenever I played, so we’d end up fighting or I’d break his Playstation controller! It’s not my scene.

What are your other interests?
I try to play a bit of golf, but I’m useless at that too! As footballers we’re meant to be good at golf, but we just pretend we are. People like John O’Shea and Wayne Rooney talk good games, but I’ve not seen evidence on the course to back it up.