Young exclusive: I still consider myself a winger!

Ashley Young has admitted that he still thinks of himself as an attacker or winger, days after a cameo on the right flank that led to the clinching goal in United’s 3-1 win at Crystal Palace.

The Stevenage-born player – who has been captaining the side due to the absence of Antonio Valencia – started his career as a fleet-footed wide man at Watford and Aston Villa, but has played predominantly at full-back during recent years.

Young’s efforts at Selhurst Park on Wednesday evening proved that he still retains a forward’s instinct for goal. The 33-year-old was pushed forward to right wing for the latter stages of the game by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and provided the finish that sealed all three points and an eighth consecutive away win for the Reds.

Speaking to the official match programme at Old Trafford, United Review, ahead of the Southampton game, Young confessed:

“I still see myself as a winger. I still say to Ole in training: ‘I’m a winger or a no.10!’ We played young v old in training the other day and the older ones won, and I was right midfield for that, so maybe Ole might put me there!

“As I’ve said before, you’ve got to adapt nowadays. Different managers play different systems and you’ve got to be able to play in different positions.

“I’ve got a decent footballing brain, so I can switch positions as long as my legs keep getting me up and down the pitch. I feel as fit as any of the young boys who are out there and I’ll continue to give 100 per cent.”

United’s away form has been exemplary since caretaker manager Solskjaer took charge in mid-December, but United have not won at Old Trafford since the 2-1 victory over Brighton on 19 January – a run which included the defeat to PSG and two hard-fought draws against Burnley and Liverpool.

Young believes Saturday’s visitors, Southampton, will pose a similarly challenging test. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have lost just one of their five away games since the turn of the year – despite their embattled position in the league table – and have drawn their last two meetings with the Reds.

“It’s never easy when you go down there [to St. Mary’s] and it’s never easy when they come here,” he suggests. “When teams do come we’re full of confidence and I think we’ve got that fear-factor back in us here. Teams come and sit behind the ball and it’s down to us to break them down, and I’m sure if we go out there and play as well as we can do then we’ll be able to get the three points.”

Our no.18 is sure of one thing, however – the support of the Old Trafford faithful, which drew plenty of acclaim last weekend after a defiant display during the injury-affected match with league leaders Liverpool.

“For me they’ve been like a 12th man for us,” beamed Young. “Even when we come out to do our warm-up they’re singing already, and they do that all the way until the end of the game.

“They’re always behind us and as players we want to go out there and perform as well as we can for them. Away from home and at home they’ve been brilliant all season. When things haven’t gone so well they’ve still backed us and it’s up to us to put on a display that they’re happy with. We want to keep doing that.”