Young Pleased With Part In Victory

Ashley Young declared himself satisfied after playing a starring role on the wing in Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Swansea City on Saturday.

Young has been utilised at full-back in recent games but was restored to a more traditional attacking role against the Swans, as Louis van Gaal deployed three defenders in a change to his system for the first game of 2016.

It paid dividends as the 30-year-old caused havoc as a wing-back and his pinpoint cross from the right flank set up Anthony Martial perfectly for the opening goal. Young was substituted shortly after Wayne Rooney’s winning strike with what the manager later confirmed was an injury.

"Everyone’s smiling and everyone’s happy," Young told MUTV. "We said at the start of the game that we had to get the three points and we created plenty of chances. I think we could have scored more but we got the win and we'll kick on from here.

"I’m an out-an-out winger but I’ve played as a full-back in the last few weeks. When you’re a winger, you get to go forward and I enjoyed today, but there was also the defensive side of things to do as well, with their full-back also trying to get forward. I had to be aware of that but it was nice to get the three points and an assist as well.

"We wanted to get back to winning ways and we’ve done that today. We’ve kickstarted the new year and we look forward now."

Rooney’s winner, which took him past Denis Law into second on United’s all-time highest goalscorers list, was a deft flick from Martial’s cross after the Frenchman had beaten Federico Fernandez to get to the byline on the left.

"We’ve looked at the replay and I’m not sure he meant it but he’ll definitely tell you he did!" Young said. "It was a fantastic finish and we’re delighted for him to get on the scoresheet. You want strikers to be scoring goals.

"Martial’s shown that week in, week out. We’ve just seen the video back of how quick he looked going down the line – I wouldn’t want to be facing him.

"He was fantastic today – he got a goal and set up Waz [Wayne Rooney] as well. But I thought it was a great team performance – everyone from the back to the front worked as a team and we deserved the three points."

Swansea, who equalised through Gylfi Sigurdsson, kept pushing after Rooney had restored the Reds’ lead and, in the 95th minute, goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski came forward to head a corner inches wide as an agonised Old Trafford fell silent.

Young said: "I was watching it on TV by then and there were a few hearts in mouths – you don’t expect the goalkeeper to be up there but it was a good header and thankfully for us it went past the post."

United fans warmly applauded Young when he was forced to make way for Paddy McNair with 10 minutes left. The wing-back commented: "They’re brilliant and it was nice to get a standing ovation. Hopefully I can keep putting in the performances and they can keep singing."

The result lifted the Reds to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table and, while leaders Arsenal are nine points ahead, Young insists nobody at United is giving up on winning the title.

"Until it’s mathematically impossible, we never count ourselves out," he said. "Teams are beating everyone around us and there have been some indifferent results. As long as we concentrate on ourselves and keep getting the three points, I’m sure things will be fine."