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Evra confident of United title challenge

Patrice Evra is confident his side can challenge for the Premier League title © Getty Images

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Patrice Evra has issued a rallying cry to his Manchester United team-mates ahead of this weekend's crunch Premier League clash with Tottenham, and insists the club will be in the hunt for honours at the end of the season despite their slow start.

United recorded a vital win against Arsenal before the international break but failed to consolidate against Cardiff last Sunday, twice throwing away the lead to draw 2-2 in South Wales.

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Evra admits that United's failure to threaten the top four so far this season has been a source of frustration but he is confident David Moyes' side can still challenge for the Premier League title and wants to demonstrate as much against Spurs.

"We want to keep winning, we can't wait for the next game now against Tottenham," Evra said after United's 5-0 Champions League victory in Leverkusen.

"We can't afford not to win this one. If we won against Cardiff then maybe it will have been easier against Tottenham. But now we can't afford to lose many points and that's why Tottenham is a big game.

"Now every game's a big game because we had a bad start. If you calculate Southampton, Cardiff and the game against West Bromwich, if we won those three games we could have been top of the league. That's why we are really frustrated and really upset.

"I am always looking at Manchester United and not the other teams. We know we had a bad start but we are working very well with the new manager, we trust the manager. We can do something big this year, we are really confident."

United are currently six points worse off than at the same stage a year ago, but Evra still believes that last season's title triumph shows they have what it takes to battle back from a slow start.

"I play for Manchester United, every year is a new challenge, every year I believe in this team," Evra said. "If I don't believe in this team I will not play anymore. I never read the paper, I never watch what they say on TV. I trust myself and my team-mates and the manager.

"Last year, people said the same about us at the beginning but then we won the league by 13 [11] points. I always say the Premier League is not a sprint, it's a marathon - I don't just say that to look good, it's true. It's a marathon. Wait until the end of the season. Right now, I'm just working hard.

"We are strong, there are many strong characters in that team. That's why playing for Manchester United is never easy because when you put on that shirt you have all the story of the club. You have to respect that because the players have done that before us. We have to show we love this team, we love this club."

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