TOURNAMENT – Barclays Premier League

MATCH – Manchester City (Home) at Old Trafford

DATE & TIME – 25th March 2014, 19:45 GMT (26th March 2014, 01:15 IST)

Pre-Match Press Conference Transcript of David Moyes

Q. Good afternoon.

Moyes: Afternoon.

Q. How much of a reward for your fans would be winning this match against Manchester City?

Moyes: Well, I’ve said for many times how well the supporters have reacted to what is a difficult season. They’ve been great, and the atmosphere’s been great inside Old Trafford, they’ve played their part in helping the team. We’ve not always done the bit, our side of it, but recently we have, and they supporters have responded to that as well.

Q. Does it make an extra motivation though? I mean, United have lost their last two derbies at Old Trafford. If you give them a derby win on Sunday, it doesn’t look quite so bad does it?

Moyes: Yeah, we’ll do everything we possibly can. We’ve got to win every game, not just the derby game; we try to win every game, it’s not any different. But, obviously, it means a lot more to supporters and it means a lot more in the city if you win a derby game. But, we go into every game with the same intention of trying to win.

Q. With eight games left in the season though, have you got players in your squad that are playing to be part of your future here?

Moyes: Well, I think everybody’s here. So, everybody plays a part, whether it be for the future, whether it be just to make sure they can show what they can do. But I thought, recently, they have. I think, the last couple of games, a lot of players have really stepped up to the plate and performed. But, I’m not surprised by that at all. I think that’s what they’re capable of. That’s what I’ve been saying all year, I’m saying, we’ve got a good squad, we’ve got good players. We maybe haven’t played as well as we should have, but I do think that we’ve got those capabilities in the squad.

Q. David, are you likely to get any defenders back fit for this game who weren’t available for the weekend?

Moyes: For this Barclays Premier League game, we’ll do everything we possibly can to try and get the players back. (smiling)

Q. In terms of Michael Carrick’s performance though, how much encouragement does that give you considering how well he played at centre-half, if there are issues with players?

Moyes: Well, he’s done great at centre-half and I had no problems. But he’s played there before for United, so it wasn’t a problem. We even considered putting Fellaini back there as well, so I think we’ve got people if we have to, we can do that. We gave Pat Evra a sort of rest as well, so if we have to, we can put Pat Evra there as well and he would cope manfully. So, it was great that the squad mucked in, and that’s how the way it should be – when you’re short in areas, everybody, all hands to the pump and we were short on Saturday and he certainly played really well, did Michael Carrick.

Q. Wayne Rooney, everybody seems to be talking about his first goal. Obviously, it was a magnificent goal, but his display as well and how important do you think he can be in the derby game? Because it’s the type of match that he always seems to be well up for, I think he’s the top scorer of all-time in Manchester derbies.

Moyes: Well, his form throughout the season has been very good, and his goal capped off what everybody’s aware that he’s capable of. I think, I said after the game, he’s spoken about a lot, he’s talked about, because of the ability he’s got as a footballer. And he showed it in a different way on Saturday. Well, not in a different way, but maybe a way everybody expects that he’s capable of doing something which maybe many other players aren’t capable of. But, more importantly for me, I think it’s how well he has played for the team. That’s the big thing, from the first game, he’s been a great team player.

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