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Highlights & Post-Match Quotes | Ajax 0-2 Manchester United -- Europa League

HIGHLIGHTS


POST-MATCH QUOTES
Sir Alex Ferguson | MUFC manager (Courtesy of Channel Five)

(Overall thoughts on the match...) "I’m delighted with the scoreline but I think it was a very ordinary performance by us. We didn’t reach any great heights in the game. We did improve in the second half and I thought we deserved to win it but I didn’t think we played well at all. There was no rhythm to our game. I know Ajax can make it difficult with their system and they pressed the ball really well but we didn’t get any tempo to our game in the first half. We did improve in the second half but it was not a brilliant performance."

(On whether there still is work left to do during the return fixture...) "Absolutely, it gives us a good opportunity but we’re taking nothing for granted, of course. We’re at home at Old Trafford and we have a good opportunity to get through."

(On the performance of Chicharito...) "It didn't go well for Javier in the sense the final passes through were just too much for him. They were behind his feet. But he is always a threat. He might have had a penalty in the second half. It was difficult to see from where I was. He has that threat all the time and he has given us another goal."

(Overall thoughts on his side's current form...) "Winning is always a good habit," he insisted. "We are having a good spell just now. We are playing well. We were disappointing in the first half. It is away from home and we made a few changes. We don't have a game on Saturday. I wish we did to keep the momentum going. But we play next Thursday and then the league starts again. We go to Norwich the following Sunday."

(On both Antonio Valencia's injury and the return of several important squad players from injury...) "He has a hamstring injury unfortunately. It will be four weeks. It's a blow to lose Valencia tonight, but bit by bit, we are getting stronger with Nani and Ashley Young coming back. Tom Cleverley has played a bit of football tonight and Phil Jones has played a full game which is good for us. Chris Smalling was on the bench but will play in the return match at Old Trafford next Thursday."

Phil Jones | MUFC defender (courtesy of MUTV)

(On his return back from injury...) "I feel one hundred per cent. I’ve been out for three weeks so I’m not going to get full match fitness straight away but it’s good to get 90 minutes under my belt and hopefully, if I’m selected, I can do well in the next game."

(On Tom Cleverley's and Ashley Young's return from injury...) "I’m delighted for Tom Cleverley. He’s a terrific talent. We missed him on the pitch while he was out. But I saw him every day in the gym so I know his attitude’s fantastic. He deserved to be out there tonight. Ashley's also terrific. He's come back from injury and done really well and I was pleased for him to get our first goal tonight."

(On the challenge Ajax presented and on United's performance...) "It was always going to be a tough test coming here but I think we prepared well. We were probably not at our best in the first half but we still stuck at it and probably deserved the victory. The gaffer said at half-time we needed to move the ball quicker. We did that in the second half, we created more chances and scored two great goals. This is a competition we want to win. We’ve never won it as a club so it would be nice to go on and win it."

Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) | MUFC striker (Courtesy of MUTV)

(On his goal and on United's current state in this two-legged tie with Ajax...) "I always say I don’t care if I score or not. The most important thing [about my goal against Ajax] is that we have two goals instead of just one, that will help us a lot. We’re going back to Old Trafford with two away goals and a victory. We can’t say we are already through, however, as there are still another 90 minutes to play. We have to go and finish this at home."

(On if he enjoyed this Europa League experience...) "Of course, because we won. We played against a very difficult team at their home and they played very well but thankfully we scored twice in the second half."

(On David de Gea's recent strong performances...) "David de Gea is a great goalkeeper. He’s improving, he’s learning and he’s in a great moment,"