Manchester United boss David Moyes and left-back Patrice Evra spoke to the media this afternoon ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Olympiacos.
The Scot's position with the Premier League champions continues to be called into question following a disastrous season which has seen the club languishing in seventh position in the league table.
Sunday's 3-0 defeat at home to Liverpool did little to ease the pressure on the former Everton head coach and it has been suggested that defeat to Olympiacos in the second leg of their last-16 clash on Wednesday could spell the end of Moyes's reign at Old Trafford.
However, Moyes insisted that he has no worries about his own long-term future, while he called on his troops to produce a big performance tomorrow evening, with United trailing 2-0 from the first leg in Greece.
Read what Moyes and Evra had to say in our minute-by-minute live coverage below.
Afternoon all! Is David Moyes running out of time at Old Trafford? It has been suggested that defeat to Olympiacos on Wednesday could signal the end of his short spell in charge of the Premier League champions, who also face key league fixtures against West Ham United and Manchester City before the end of the month. What will the Scot have to say this afternoon? Remain with us to find out.
Manchester United fanzine Red Issue claimed on Monday that 'a dressing-room bust-up' occurred following Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Old Trafford. Subsequent reports claimed that first-team coach Ryan Giggs was unhappy with Moyes's coaching methods, but thus far, there has been no official comment from either party. I suspect that will be cleared up this afternoon when Moyes emerges.
In truth, it has been a disastrous season for United. As it stands, they sit 12 points from fourth-place Manchester City, who have two games in hand, and 18 behind Premier League leaders Chelsea. They also exited the FA Cup in the early rounds to Swansea City and were eliminated in the semi-finals of the League Cup by Sunderland following a penalty shootout. Will another elimination occur tomorrow evening?
It has been a case of one step forward, two steps back this season, with some promising performances immediately followed by disappointment. In 2014, United have lost seven of their 14 matches, while West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle United and Everton have all ended lengthy winless runs at Old Trafford this season.
Sir Alex Ferguson led United to the title in fairly comfortable fashion last season, but Moyes has been unable to maintain those standards. United's away form has been fairly strong with eight wins from their 15 matches – only Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have a better record. However, they have lost five times on their own patch and boast just the ninth-best home record in the league at this stage of the campaign.
His future aside, this afternoon Moyes will also be discussing Wednesday's Champions League last-16 second leg against Greek side Olympiacos. The English outfit trail 2-0 from the first leg in Greece and will need a special performance at Old Trafford to book their spot in the quarter-finals. Should another defeat occur, it could signal the end of Moyes's reign with the club. The Scot is expected within the next five minutes.
Following Sunday's 3-0 defeat at home to Liverpool, former United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville had his say on Twitter...
Unacceptable that! Well done to united fans!! That's it three days off this! It's gonna be raw!!
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) March 16, 2014
It is understood that Moyes will be joined by French defender Patrice Evra this afternoon. Former United midfielder Andy Ritchie has just told MUTV that he is "certain" that the English outfit will advance into the quarter-finals tomorrow. One thing is for certain, they will have to improve on Sunday's performance.
"I think when you lose in the fashion that we did, there is always a lot of disappointment... but as soon as it was over, we concentrated on this game. We told the players that the only thing that matters is the game on Wednesday," Moyes, who is indeed joined by Evra, responded when questioned on Sunday's defeat to Liverpool.
When questioned on whether Moyes has seen improvement in recent weeks, he responded: "I see the players every day, the qualities they show me are there. They know that they can play better, but I have belief in the players. I agree that they have not shown it as often as we would like."
Moyes continued: "My future has not changed one bit. I have got a great job, I know the direction I want to go in. I have ideas that I want to put in place, but the most important thing at the moment is Olympiacos. We have got a lot of belief but we have to try and show it on Wednesday."
"The support inside Old Trafford has been phenomenal. We need to start giving something back now. We need to make sure we work together to make it a night to remember. We will leave nothing behind on the night," said Moyes when questioned on the crowd in recent weeks.
"We never discuss my future. We are making big plans for the years going forward, that is why there is a six-year contract. This is a club that works on a long-term vision," Moyes responded when questioned on whether he had been given assurances about his future at the club.
"I think when you win, you win together, when you lose, you lose together. I think everyone wants to fight for this club, everyone loves this club. I am not going to tell you that we are definitely going to qualify tomorrow, but we will fight," was the response from Evra when questioned on recent performances and the clash at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening against Olympiacos.
"The results at Old Trafford have been disappointing. I can think back to several games when we have been the better team and not won. I think we have also made a lot of opportunities and not taken them at home. It is something that we need to get better at and I am hopeful that will change before the end of the season," Moyes responded when questioned on United's home form this season.
Asked whether the fans could turn if there is another defeat this week, Moyes responded: "I actually think that the supporters have seen some defeats this season that they would not have expected, but they have stayed with the club. This club will rise again I am certain."
"The first goal is really important tomorrow. We have to be careful, Olympiacos have a good team. They have some good players and we must be aware of the counter attack," Moyes continued in relation to tomorrow's tie.
"It is really important that you score really early. When you come to Old Trafford, it is never easy when you concede an early goal. I think the team will handle the pressure. Now, there are too many words, we have to start showing it on the pitch," Evra told reporters regarding tomorrow's match.
"It is not a good day to talk about my future. The future of Manchester United is more important," responded Evra when questioned on his own future. The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of the season.
"Sir Alex Ferguson has been incredibly supportive. He told me that it would be difficult, but he is always there to help. Him, David Gill and Ed Woodward have all been very supportive," responded Moyes when questioned on former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
"Shinji is an important player for us. It has been a difficult time for him, but Shinji is someone that we really like and is someone that will be involved at some point tomorrow," responded Moyes when questioned on whether Shinji Kagawa could feature tomorrow.
"I think in life sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. It is a new challenge for us. We have never been in this situation. It is a tough moment, but you have to show your character and personality. This year it is more difficult, but I am still confident. I am really excited to play the game tomorrow, we forget Sunday now, the past is the past. The present is the game tomorrow," Evra told reporters.
"I think Olympiacos have been effective with their attacking players this season. I expect them to keep the ball and attempt to counter attack," concluded Moyes when presented with a question on tomorrow's match.
So there we have it. That concludes the press conference at Old Trafford. There were no questions about a reported bust-up on Sunday or talk of unrest with Ryan Giggs. As expected, the questions focused on Moyes's own future, which he believes is secure. I suspect that much depends on tomorrow's result.
Thanks for joining Sports Mole for the press conference and be sure to stick around the site for all of the reaction. Good afternoon!
Written by
Matt Law
Matt Law
