Evra Pledges To Regain Top Form

United defender Patrice Evra says he needs to “do much better next season” and believes he will, with the benefit of a full pre-season behind him.

Evra endured a tough summer in 2010 as France faced problems both on and off the pitch at the World Cup in South Africa. The left-back didn’t travel to the USA with his United team-mates last July and he feels his season suffered as a result.

“Next season I think I should give more because this wasn’t my best season,” he told Inside United in an exclusive interview.

"I can say that, I can be honest with myself. I missed pre-season and only had a week’s training before I played my first game. People forget that.

“Some of the other players had about five weeks to work on their fitness and play some friendly games. And although I trained during my holiday having only one week’s training meant it was difficult at the beginning of the season. In the middle and towards the end I felt back to my best but I need to do much better next season.”

Patrice won’t suffer the same fate this year. With no international tournaments, the Frenchman should get almost a month off (he’ll begin his holiday after France face Poland in Gdansk on 9 June) before joining his team-mates at Carrington in early July and flying to the USA for the Reds’ pre-season tour.

In America, United will play five matches – three against MLS opposition, one against an MLS All-Star side and one against Barcelona – and undergo intense training sessions in preparation for the 2011/12 campaign.

In addition to his vow to perform better next term, Patrice also wants to chip in with more goals. So far, in 245 appearances, he’s netted just three times for the Reds.

“I should score more goals,” he said. “A perfect season for me would be to score five goals. I know I have the quality and the potential to achieve that.

“People know I can create goals, but I need to score more.”