Evra: Arsenal Could Unravel
Sun: PATRICE EVRA believes just one defeat will open up the chinks in Arsenal’s armour.
The Gunners have had an explosive start to the new season with seven wins and one draw.
That has put them two points ahead of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand.
But Old Trafford defender Evra believes there could be a fragility beneath.
The French left-back said: “There is no doubt that Arsenal are a stronger side than they were last season.
“But I don’t think we will know about this Arsenal team this season until they lose.
“That’s the important time when you look to see how a team reacts. It is how you bounce back.
“We know we can do it. We had a difficult start to the season but we have shown great strength and character and are winning now without conceding any goals.”
Until Arsenal do slip-up, Evra knows United are going to have to keep winning every game to stay on their heels.
But it is something they have been doing already. Since losing at Manchester City on August 19, United have won every Premier League game without letting in a goal. That is six successive league clean sheets and one more at Aston Villa on October 20 will match a club record dating back to 1924 when they were in the old Second Division.
Evra said: “I have never played with two stronger centre-backs than Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
“There is a lot of pride in our defensive record. We feel more and more confident with each game that we are not going to concede.”
Boss Alex Ferguson believes the Ferdinand-Vidic combination at the heart of United’s defence is the best since Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister in the early 1980s.
Pallister is certainly full of praise for the pair. He said: “The two of them look more and more confident with each game.
“They can only get better as a partnership. Vidic defends like his life depends on it.
“Rio has got that quality and class not only to defend but bring the ball out and start attacks.”
United defender John O’Shea said: “You cannot ask for two better central defenders in Europe, in my opinion.
“I hope they will stay clear of injury because they have been a major influence on the team keeping the clean sheets.
“For a defender, keeping a clean sheet is like a striker scoring a couple of goals. With the attacking quality we have, we know if we keep a clean sheet then nine times out of 10 we are going to win the game.”
While the season is not yet a quarter over, Evra believes the champions are already looking better than last term.
He added: “We are stronger throughout the team than last season.
“At the end of last season we were struggling with injuries and that was one of the reasons we lost in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
“I think we have the strength not only to win the league this season but do better in that competition.”
(On Oct 9th, 2007 at 9:25 pm)
this jealousy shit is beyond, i thought this was a man utd forum?