Evra exclusive: United must get the arrogance back

Patrice Evra feels Manchester United must rediscover the fear factor after experiencing how another of his former clubs, West Ham United, approached last year’s encounter at the London Stadium.

Our reporter Mark Sullivan spoke to the Old Trafford favourite earlier this week, while the ex-France international was back taking his coaching badges at the Aon Training Complex.

Evra was shocked to find his Hammers team-mates were so confident ahead of last term’s game, which ended in a 3-1 defeat for the Reds, despite a goal for Marcus Rashford. He is determined that people’s attitude towards United will change as his one-time colleague Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes his mark.

“West Ham is a good club and I think Manuel Pellegrini is doing a great job,” he told us. “They will go for it. I remember I was still playing for West Ham and they played against United. During the week, actually all the players were so focused in training and not one of them was thinking they were going to lose against United.

“They were like we are going to beat them and win against United. I was a West Ham player but a United fan and I was a little bit hurt to say: ‘Wow, my club is getting really down’, if they don’t think even one per cent they are going to lose that game. The problem is they won that game 3-1, West Ham, so I was happy but really upset. Wow, we need to fix my club’ and it’s why we are Manchester United.

“We played against Leicester and many people said it was going to be a tough game because they’re in form but it’s what I’m talking about. Where is the respect for Manchester United? I want people to fear us again and people have to go out and play better and win the games.

”So I know it’s not easy going to West Ham, it’s a tough place, but we have to make sure, when the players step on the pitch, we are united. I want that arrogance to come back, you know. Even if it’s not easy, people have to understand we are Manchester United. So I’m upset when I hear people talking about United as if we are nothing. It’s killing me.“

Evra is convinced that things will change in this respect, particularly when United's injured players are available again for action.

“We need to win, no matter,” he declared. “Actually, I want to win games until everyone is ready as we’ve got a lot of injuries but we need to win games, no matter what. I know some people complained we didn’t play great against Leicester but we got the three points last weekend.

”It’s what we have to do. Going on that pitch, we have to get three points. Trust me, when the full squad is back, we’re going to have some better days for us.“