Man United ace insists pain of exile from Champions League will fuel desire to make impact
ASHLEY YOUNG says the pain of Manchester United's year-long exile from Europe will fuel their determination to make an impact in the Champions League this season.
Manchester United star Ashley Young is relishing his side's return to the Champions League
United return to the competition proper here against PSV Eindhoven tomorrow with winger Young revealing how he hated sitting at home watching last season's games on television.
He said: “I did miss it and I don’t think there is a player in the squad who didn’t miss it.
“It’s the biggest and best competition so of course I watched the games when they were on last season at home with my family.
"But that disappointment of not being in it, not being involved, was always in the back of your mind.
“But that is in the past now, we have got ourselves back into it and we want to do as well as we can. We are looking forward to the game in Eindhoven and getting back to winning ways in the Champions League."
Despite signing a new three year contract last month, Young has not started a game since the opening day win over Tottenham.
But he hopes his contribution as a half-time substitute for Memphis Depay in the 3-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday will earn him a recall in the Phillips Stadion here.
Memphis Depay Player Profile
And with Wayne Rooney ruled out by a hamstring injury, Young is willing and able to play through the middle as a striker if needed - a role he played occasionally in his Aston Villa days.
“It has been a while since I started a game. Every player in the squad wants to be in the starting XI and I am not different.
“I want to play as much as I can, but when I am called from the bench as I was against Liverpool, I just want to show the manager that I am ready and willing to give 100 per cent.
“I have always said that it is good to have competition for places and we have that in abundance in the squad.
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Wayne Rooney will be unavailable after picking up a hamstring injury
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“If the manager wants me to play there, then yes, of course I would. I can play in lots of positions and I have done that under the manager, whether it is up-front or in midfield.
“Hopefully I can play there (through middle), but it’s up to the manager and he has to make those decisions.
“I think he knows I've played there. He has said it to me before, but it is down to him. He has that headache of picking the team, so rather him than me! We have a great team spirit here and everybody is pulling in the right direction.
“We have a winning mentality throughout the squad and we all know what is required. We go into every game wanting to win and you saw that against Liverpool."