The defender of Manchester United, Rafael Da Silva, has said that his team is eager to get its Premier League crown back. Manchester United had lost its Premier League crown in the last season. It was Manchester City which was the winner of Premier League in the last season.
But, Manchester United has performed amazingly well so far in the ongoing season and is currently 7-point ahead of the defending champions Manchester City.
When Silva was asked about United’s brilliant performance in the ongoing season, he said, “We want to regain the Premier League title at any cost. We had begun the season with this goal and we are currently on the right track.”
“We were horribly disappointed after not being able to win the Premier League in the last season. We were at the top of the table for most parts of the season, but, our performance deteriorated in the last few matches and we ended up at the second position. But, we have to make sure that we won’t repeat that mistake this time around. We will have to remain consistent in the remaining part of the league as well. We can’t afford to get complacent at any stage.”
“We want to win the other competitions as well, but, the Premier League is the priority.”
When asked about his own performance in the ongoing season, Silva said, “I am satisfied with my contributions in the matches that I have played this season. I think I am in good form and I am playing better than the last season. I am playing with a calm head and I am taking more right decisions now. Hopefully, I would continue making valuable contributions for the team in the rest of the season as well.”
The right back of Manchester United, Rafael da Silva, has said that he is delighted with the appreciation that he has got from Sir Alex Ferguson, but, he still has a lot to do to become as good as the former United captain, Gary Neville.
In one of his recent interviews, Ferguson had hailed Silva for his performance in the ongoing season and had said that if Silva continued playing like this, he would definitely become as good as Neville at some point of time in his career.
When Silva was asked about the statement of Ferguson, he said, “Ya, I heard that he has compared me to Gary. It’s really amazing that the manager rates me so highly. But, Frankly speaking, I still have to achieve a lot before people start calling me as good as Gary. He was a great footballer. I think he was probably one of the greatest defenders who have ever played for the club.”
“Gary was my childhood hero. He started playing when I was just 2 years of age and I loved watching him play. I wanted to become like him and play for United.”
When asked about his form in the ongoing season so far, Silva said, “In this season, I have been given regular starting opportunity by the manager and fortunately, I have been able latch on those opportunities. My form has been good in the season so far, but, there is no room for complacency when you are playing at this level. So, I need to keep playing well.”
“I want to thank Sir Ferguson for having faith in me and for giving me regular chances to start. When you know that you have got the manager’s backing, your confidence level automatically gets increased.”
The QPR manager Mark Hughes has said that he is having upmost confidence in the former Inter Milan goalkeeper Júlio César, who was signed by the club in the summer transfer window. The club also brought in the former West Ham United goalkeeper Robert Green on a free transfer. He did not have the best of debuts for the club in the 5-0 defeat at the hands of Swansea on the opening day of the season. After a few more mistakes in the subsequent matches, Green was absolutely replaced by the Brazilian international Júlio César. Now, the manager has said that it is quite possible that Júlio César could retain the number one Jersey at the club.
Immediately after the arrival of the Brazil international to Loftus Road, questions have been asked regarding the future of Robert Green. However, Mark Hughes has consistently said that he has not decided upon the first choice goalkeeper at the club and Robert Green still had an opportunity to play regularly for QPR. This latest comment by the manager all but brings an end to the future of the former England international at Loftus Road. Júlio César has signed a four-year contract with the London club.
“I think César has been exceptional. He acquitted himself really well again in the game against Reading last week. He saved a penalty and he’s in my thinking for West Ham, certainly. Rob is working hard in training, trying to put pressure on Júlio to get back in. He certainly has the capability to do that. But at the moment it’s difficult for him. We didn’t expect this situation,” said the QPR manager Mark Hughes ahead of the match with West Ham. QPR are currently rock bottom of the Premier league with just two points from the five matches played so far.
Manchester United and Brazil defender Rafael Da Silva has said that the team was extremely worried after the comeback made by Egypt in the Olympic football tournament. Brazil were taking on Egypt in one of the group matches. The South American team was definitely the favourite to win the match and they showed their great intent in the first half by ripping the African side apart. Due to the impressive performances of striker Neymar and midfielder Oscar, Brazil had a three-goal advantage in the match even before the hour mark. Rafael Da Silva opened the scoring in the match and Neymar soon extended the advantage for Brazil.
However, some sloppy defending in the second half meant that Egypt were able to score two goals in the second half to end the match in a thrilling fashion. When the match was 3-2, there was real danger that the Brazil team might lose their advantage in the match to draw the match. The Manchester United defender Rafael Da Silva admitted that it was indeed a significant probability and the team was indeed worried about it. However, Egypt were unable to score the third and crucial goal before the end of the match and it finished in a victory for Brazil.
“In the first half we showed our quality. We played great football and created many chances. When they scored the first goal in the second half we jumped a little bit, but we got the result in the end. To get my first goal in my first official game for Brazil is a dream. I’m so happy. It’s great to be here, because in Brazil the Olympics are very important. It’s the only title we don’t have, so we take it very seriously,” said Rafael Da Silva after the match against Egypt.
Former Manchester United star Dennis Irwin has said that the Brazilian full-back Rafael Da Silva is likely to pay the penalty for having lacklustre performance against Everton during the weekend by not being selected for the match against Manchester City on Monday night.
Rafael Da Silva made a number of crucial mistakes in the 4-4 draw with Everton during the weekend, which allowed City to move within a point of Manchester United at the top of the table. City now have the chance to go ahead of Manchester United if they win against United at the Etihad stadium, where they have an imperious record.
United appeared to be in a very comfortable position only a few weeks ago after extending the lead at the top of the table to 8 points. However, after suffering a defeat at the hands of Wigan, they allowed Manchester City with a sniff of the title. The 4-4 draw with Everton during the weekend, the match in which United lost a two-goal advantage twice, meant that City are now only three points behind United. Due to his poor performance against Everton, Denis Irwin expects Rafael Da Silva to pay the penalty with this place in the starting line-up.
“Listen, as a defender, you make mistakes. Particularly when you’re young, you do make mistakes and it’s how you learn from the back of that. You actually only learn when you make mistakes at that age and he’ll be the better for that. Hopefully he’ll learn fairly quickly because his partnership with (Antonio) Valencia down the right this season has been really, really good. He’ll (Rafael) learn of this, there’s no doubt about that,” Irwin said in a recent interview given to when the former United star was in Singapore in order to participate in the function.
Former Manchester United player Nicky Butt has said that he is quite confident that Manchester United will be back to form soon enough for them to challenge for the top honours this season.
The Manchester United squad has come under intense criticism of late following their exit from the Champions League, but former Manchester United and Newcastle United midfielder Nicky Butt has said that he is quite confident about the quality that Manchester United’s youngsters have. Nicky Butt played a vital role for Manchester United during his time at Old Trafford having come through the club as part of the youth system.
He won six Premier League titles with Manchester United before moving to Newcastle United at the start of the millennium. Manchester United’s squad has not come under criticism just for the defeat at the hands of FC Basel, but also the embarrassing defeats they have suffered at the hands of Manchester City and Crystal Palace. Even though the club has lost only three games this season, all the three games have been extremely important and very embarrassing to the club as a whole – particularly the 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City. Despite the enormous pressure on their shoulders, Nicky Butt reckons that they will be back to form soon.
“It is a massive test but it’s one I think they will overcome. They need to get over the blow of going out of the Champions League pretty quickly if they are going to get anything from this season. It’s important to bounce back from bad results when you play for a club like Manchester United and it will be a test of character to see if they can do that,” said Butt. After City’s defeat to Chelsea, Manchester United remain just two points behind the League leaders.