Evra preaches caution

Patrice Evra insists United cannot bank on a place in the Champions League semi-finals, despite establishing a healthy advantage over Roma in Tuesday's quarter-final, first leg.

2-0 away win makes the Reds favourites to book a semi-final berth against either Barcelona or Schalke, but Evra insists there is still plenty of work to be done in next week’s second leg.

“We’re very happy with that performance but there’s still a second game to think about,” the defender told MUTV. “In football you never know but we’re very satisfied with our position.

“I think the team played very well and we did a very professional job. It’s now important we stay professional and hopefully we’ll get through to the semi-final.”

United registered a valuable clean sheet despite the loss of Nemanja Vidic through injury, and Evra felt the display of substitute John O’Shea underlined the Reds’ strength in depth.

“It was important to keep a clean sheet and we did our job. We have a big squad and John O’Shea showed how strong it is when he came on and filled in for Nemanja. We have confidence in whoever plays.”


source: manutd.com

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Ronaldo: We Really Want To Win This

Cristiano Ronaldo was pleased with his team's showing, and his opening goal, as Manchester United picked up a 2-0 win against Roma. The Red Devils opened the scoring through Cristiano Ronaldo in the first half, but then had to survive some intense pressure before Wayne Rooney
scored the second to practically seal the tie.

"Yes, [it was] a very good performance," said Ronaldo, speaking on ITV after the game. "Everyone knows Roma are a good team. It was a tough game, they played very well. But we got some chances and scored, and that was the difference."

Speaking of his own goal - his 36th of the season, he said: "It was a good header, and I feel very happy because I scored and helped the team win. We needed to win. Now the next game is at
home and we need to win again."

It took some rugged defending, though, and the winger also pointed towards the collective effort, and towards the desire to win the competition. "Yes, everyone did their part in this game,"
he said. "This is good competition. We really want to win it, and we showed that."

source: Goal.com

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Rooney hails solid backline

Wayne Rooney may have helped put the Reds' in the driving seat in their Champions League quarter-final tie, but the striker was quick to heap praise on United's backline after the 2-0 victory in Rome.

Despite the loss of Nemanja Vidic through injury just after the half-hour, the defence stood firm as they recorded their 23rd clean sheet in 37 games and their fifth on the trot. "The defence was brilliant and all season they've been the same so hopefully that will continue," Rooney told Uefa.com.

"I thought we defended well as a team. It was important to try to keep a clean sheet and then hopefully nick a goal and we did that just before half-time and it put us in a good position in the second half.

"We knew Roma would come out and attack us and it created a bit of space for us. We had the two counterattacks and made them count."

Cristiano Ronaldo put the visitors in front on 39 minutes, before Rooney fired his third goal in two games six minutes after the hour-mark. The result leaves United in pole position to qualify for the semi-finals, but Rooney insists they won't be taking anything for granted in next Wednesday's second leg at Old Trafford. (*)

source: manutd.com

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