Romero Out To Prove A Point At United

Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero says he's out to prove a point for the Reds, and is keen to grab first-team opportunities with both hands.

The Argentinian has performed admirably when called upon this season, conceding just two goals in eight appearances in 2016/17, and earning praise from Jose Mourinho.

Romero, who turns 30 today (Wednesday), spoke exclusively to ManUtd.com ahead of the Europa League Round of 32 second leg against Saint-Etienne and says he'd love to feature between the sticks for a third successive game.

“I feel great and I’m happy to be playing, he said. "I think it’s always important to get the chance to help your team-mates on the field. I need to get minutes under my belt to keep my place in the national team and these games are also a mental boost for me, because they show me that I’m at the right level to play in this league as well as for the national team.

“I always have a very positive mindset. I work really hard to prepare myself for when the opportunity comes along. Once I get that chance, I try not to waste it. I want to show everybody that I am ready, that I want to play and am good enough to play.

“It’s also a case of wanting to prove this to myself – that’s probably my main objective," he added. "I approach each training session thinking that I might play at the weekend. If I end up on the bench, I’m disappointed. But when I do get my chance, I try to prove to myself and to my family that I’m up to the job.

"My wife is a great source of support and my two daughters are always asking when I’m going to play, so I want to show them that I can do it. Then all that work you put in during the week with the goalkeeping coaches, and the confidence the manager gives you when he picks you, means you go out on the pitch wanting to perform well.

"It would be nice to start [on Wednesday]. I’m always ready to play so if I’m picked on Wednesday I’ll try to be at 100 per cent for that game, which falls on my birthday. I’ll obviously be away from my wife and daughters, but I’ll be really happy if I’m selected."

As for the game itself, Romero was quick to stress that the tie is far from finished, and believes United can go on to win the competition.

"It’s definitely not over," he added. "I played at that ground two years ago, when I was at Monaco, and their team spirit combined with the passion of the fans creates a powerful atmosphere. It puts you under a lot of pressure, but we’ve got to stick to our game; be calm on the ball, pick the right time to press and dictate the tempo. We need to make sure that we go through to the next round.

"We’ll play our own game and try to carry out the manager’s instructions. We have a great manager that plans and prepares for every match, so we’ll do what he asks us to on the pitch and hopefully come back to Manchester with smiles on our faces.

"We’ve always believed we could win this competition," he declared. "We have a duty, as Manchester United players, to go as far as we possibly can in every competition, whether that’s the Premier League, the FA Cup or the Europa League. Even if it’s a friendly, we need to make sure that we give a good account of ourselves. As I said before, the most important thing is that we focus on our job so that we can progress in the Europa League."