Pallister: Reds To Bounce Back

Manchester United legend Gary Pallister says that the Reds will close ranks and believe in themselves in a bid to get back to winning ways when Swansea City return to Old Trafford on Saturday.

The former defender helped the club to win the Premier League four times, as well as several other domestic and European honours, after signing from Middlesbrough in 1989 but also knew what it meant to be under the spotlight when results went against his team.

The current run of three straight defeats echoes a similar sequence in 1996, when United lost to Southampton, Fenerbahce and Chelsea in the space of seven days. However the England international is convinced that David Moyes and his squad have what it takes to silence their detractors.

“You have to hunker down and have that siege mentality and just believe in what you have got in the dressing room,” said Gary, in an exclusive interview with ManUtd.com. “We know there are good players in there, and we know eventually it will come right.”

Looking back to his very early days at the club, Pallister declared that the same kind of resolve that helped United claim the FA Cup in his first season as a Red is the key to the current squad getting positive results again.

“When everybody was against us and lining up to have a chip at us, you sought solace in the sanctuary of your own dressing room,” recalled the former defender.

“It is only you that can change things around, with the coaching staff, and you have got to believe. We did that in 1989, and we won the FA Cup at the end of that season [1989/90] when everybody was lining up to see the manager and the players off. The rest is history.

“There is enough experience in the dressing room now to know how to deal with it and there is enough experience with the manager, who has had many years in the Premier League, to know how to not react in the way people expect them to.

“There is enough proven quality in the current squad to suggest it’s better than we’ve seen in the last few games, and the players should not lose focus on that. There are the players who know how to win games and know what it takes to win championships, they just have to keep reminding themselves about that.”

Reflecting on that poor sequence in the autumn of 1996, which was preceded by a 5-0 defeat at Newcastle a few weeks earlier, Gary added: “We went on to win the title that season. You take the setbacks - it’s how you react to them.

“It’s a great chance on Saturday to right a wrong, if you like, or to put the balance back from that FA Cup defeat. We have injury problems, which are having an effect on the team at the moment, but this is a great chance to bounce back.

“The five defeats at home so far this season have been very disappointing and it is something we have got to turn around. We need to give the fans at Old Trafford something to shout about. Swansea are a good side, but a win for us on Saturday would be a huge step forward.”