Evra: I Should Score More

Patrice Evra has vowed to get his name on the scoresheet more often after finally ending a three-and-a-half year goal drought.

The Frenchman’s last goal was in April 2007 in the 7-1 win over AS Roma at Old Trafford. For a defender, that might not seem like a particularly lengthy period of time to go without a goal, but for a full-back as attacking as Evra it feels like an age.

“I don’t think my son was even born the last time I scored a goal for United,” Evra joked on MUTV. “It’s over three years since my last goal. It’s frustrating because the way I play I should score more often. That’s why you could see all my anger coming out after I scored. My first job is to defend, but I know I have the quality to score.”

Evra thanked his good friend Ji-sung Park for providing the assist for his 45th-minute headed effort, only his third goal for the club. “It was a good cross from my best friend Ji-sung Park, I think maybe I’ll get him a big present for Christmas, maybe a car!” he added. “I waited so long for this goal that I am so happy, so I say thank you to Ji.

“I could have got another one in the second half, but if I’d scored two goals we would have had to stop the league right there! That’s why I didn’t score. But I was frustrated with myself. It was an easy goal and I should have scored. But now I hope more goals are going to come – I don’t want to wait another three years for a goal.

“But although I am happy for myself, but the most important thing is that we win.”

Evra’s goal came at a crucial time, not only because it was right on the stroke of half but also because United had looked somewhat laboured in a frustrating first 45 minutes.

“It was a frustrating first half because we didn’t have the space to find players very easy. The boss spoke at half time, he didn’t understand the way we were playing. It was looking like everyone was slipping on the pitch, so the goal came at a good time.”

United could have made much more of the goalscoring opportunities in the match, not least when Wigan were reduced to nine men 15 minutes into the second half. But, that complaint aside, the weekend panned out rather well for the Reds, with Arsenal and Chelsea both suffering defeats, which has given United great incentive for the weeks ahead.

“I remember saying before the game that if we beat Wigan and Blackburn we would be top of the league, and I am still confident of that,” added Evra.

“But I think the team can give much more than we are giving right now. We are still at the top of the league, but against Blackburn we need to play from the first minute, not just at the end of the game. We have looked like we have lots of chances in the last 20 minutes of games. But we are Manchester United and we need to be more aggressive and score more goals – and to bring back the way United play always.”