TOURNAMENT – Barclays Premier League

MATCH – Newcastle United (Away) at St. James’ Park (Sports Direct Arena)

DATE & TIME – 5th April 2014, 14:00 GMT (19:30 IST)

RESULT – Newcastle United 0 – 4 Manchester United (Mata 39′, Mata 50′, Hernandez 64′, Januzaj 92′)

Post-Match Press Conference Transcript of David Moyes

Q. David, eight changes and a 4-0 away win. Could you have asked much more?

Moyes: No, I thought we played very well today. I thought some of the performances individually were fantastic and I thought, as a team, we played very well. We needed a good performance, we didn’t start the game as well as I’d like in the opening 20 minutes – I thought our passing was a bit sloppy and not as accurate as we like. But once we got into the rhythm, I thought we played really well.

Q. It was a strangely low-key atmosphere to start with. I didn’t really expect that here. Did you have to, almost, get yourself going there a bit as the game went on?

Moyes: Well, Newcastle are having a few poor results themselves and the crowd are finding it difficult. But, what you could hear was our support – they’re way up in the Gods, that’s where they are in Newcastle, and thankfully, we were able to give them another good away performance.

Q. Obviously a good team performance, but picking out individuals – Mata, is one you obviously have to pick out.

Moyes: Juan played really well. I think Juan has been doing very well for us, I really do. I think he’s made the team better, he can assist in goals, he can score goals. But in the first four or five games, we didn’t see him scoring any. But now you’re beginning to feel he’s got those goals in him. And even his back heel for the Adnan today for the fourth goal was a bit of magic – it really was, it was great. I thought when Shinji, and Juan Mata and Adnan were on the field, I thought there were some terrific, sort of technically gifted football.

Q. And his goals, I mean the free kick was great. The sort of drag back for his second goal was a great bit of skill.

Moyes: It was great. I mean, his composure for the second goal when he got played in by Chicha. And, the free kick – if you practice, and everyday, him and Wayne practice. They practice their free kicks, they try to get it right. Its a simple thing, but it is right – practice makes perfect, and it was a perfect free kick today.

Q. And Chicharito got another goal, after he got one last week. And good to see Adnan getting another.

Moyes: Good goal, and Chicha got through and hit the post just before half-time, it would have been an important goal to make it 2-0. But it was a great bit of movement, and it was a great bit of play to get in again, and the cut-back, and Chicha’s movement in the box. So, everybody knows that’s what Chicha can do – he’s got that ability to get you a goal.

Q. Ten away wins now, that’s pretty special, isn’t it?

Moyes: (Bemusedly) Yeah, I’m thrilled by our away performances. We just need to try and as I’ve said many times, can we try and show that more at Old Trafford? But, the hardest thing in football is probably to win away from home. Maybe the expectations at Old Trafford is really high for us, but I really do think that we are capable of it. Some of the football we played today was fabulous.

Q. Have you lost Ashley Young for the week? He went to the hospital.

Moyes: Yeah, he’s got torn ligaments in his hand – it looks a bad injury. I don’t know exactly how long it will keep him out just now – but the way the medical team have talked to me, it doesn’t seem a great injury.

Post-Match Reaction of Juan Mata

Q. Juan, a 4-0 away win, I suppose you couldn’t really have asked much more than that today.

Mata: No, I don’t think so. I think we did a great performance, scoring four goals, winning with good football – specially in the second half. Its a happy day for us – let’s try to carry on on Wednesday.

Q. The understanding that you seem to have with Shinji, Chicharito, with Januzaj when he came on – that was something pretty special, that forward play.

Mata: Yeah, I think we did really well. For me, it is a pleasure to play with players like them. Like Chicha, Shinji, Adnan – they’re quality players, so its easy to play alongside them. I think today we enjoyed out on the pitch, and we created chances to score. I’m very happy for Chicha as well, he deserved that goal. And for Adnan, coming off the bench.

Q. The goals, the first one was a free kick, is that something you practice often?

Mata: I do, I do. I do normally twice a week. After the training, I just like try to prove how good I can be in free kicks, and I try to improve and score as much as I can in the trainings, and today, I was lucky to score.

Q. You ran to David as well, do you try and beat him in training from free kicks?

Mata: (Laughing) He doesn’t stay when I shoot free kicks, he doesn’t like it. Yeah, he was very happy for me and he told me before the game, “you’re gonna score” and that’s why I ran to him.

Q. You’re second goal, that little sort of drag-back – which was your better goal – the second one or the first one?

Mata: I don’t know, they were very very different. Maybe the first one was very important because it gave us 1-0, but the second one was very special as well because we had more distance in the result. I just tried to cut, and after, score with my right foot and I could do it.

Q. Ten away wins now. When you look at that, do you think what might have been this season?

Mata: I think when we look at that, we feel that we should have done better at home, in Old Trafford. But, I think its something to be proud of – to be the best team away in the league. So lets try to win, now, at home – try to win as many games as we can till the end of the season, and try to go higher in the table.

Q. Finally, obviously a shame you can’t play this week but good preparation, I guess, for Wednesday, in terms of the confidence.

Mata: Of course. Now we are looking forward to play that game. I’m cup tied, I can’t play but I’ll be supporting from home and I’m sure that this result gives us even more confidence to go there, fight till the last minute and try to get through.

Post-Match Reaction of Javier Hernandez

Q. Chicha, the lads must be delighted with that, 4-0 away from home.

Chicha: Yeah, of course. We have a very good chance, the players that haven’t been involved the whole season to prove that we want to play, we want to be there – that we’re ready. Its difficult when we’re not playing too much and then give a performance like this one. The whole squad – you see players like Shinji, like me, like Juan – he’s not playing Champions League – but Antonio playing right-back, Nani comes in, and Adnan as well, so, it was a good performance for us and a good result.

Q. Well, eight changes today, so does that show the players are desperate to play on Wednesday? Everyone wants to play that one, do they?

Chicha: Yeah, of course, we are all ready and we want to offer up difficult decisions now because all of us want to play that game, and we proved that today.

Q. Juan Mata, obviously can’t play in that game, but what would you say about his performance today?

Chicha: Ah, he’s unbelievable. You can see that he’s going to be a very important player to this club. He’s showing an interest to us, because he needs to get used to the play we play, the way the manager wants us to play. I think in the past games, he did alright but the goal he scored against the last team – I think he got a lot confidence and you can see what he’s capable of – to assist, to score free kicks, to score goals – so he’s a very important, clever player.

Q. He seems to have fitted in really well – he seems to be a popular player already.

Chicha: Yeah. And as well – he’s playing in the best position for him now, that is behind the striker. I think that is where he feels more happy to play, to give everything and to help the team. Yeah, of course, he’s a very important player for us and like him, and like all of us – we want to play more and to be ready.

Q. Well, you got another goal today. You got one last week, how do you think you’re playing?

Chicha: Yeah, good thankfully. Its been a very hard season for me but I’m trying to be very patient and to work and to try and speak on the pitch. Yeah, right now, thankfully, I have 11 starts and I have 9 goals at the moment – so, I’m gonna keep working and I’m gonna keep patient and speak on the pitch, like I always do.

Q. When you scored at Old Trafford, you didn’t look that happy. You looked happier today, how do you feel you’re getting on?

Chicha: No, of course, I’m happy. I play 90 minutes – it was a long time since I’d started a game. Like I told you, I have only 11 starts this season. So, its been a very difficult season for me – the World Cup is coming. So I need to prove – if they give me 1 minute or 90 – I want to prove that I am ready, that I want to contribute to the team to help the team to better its position at the moment.

Q. Ten away wins now. That’s the best in the league. You look at that and you think, we should be right up there.

Chicha: Yeah, I know, I know. We need to do that, to prove that in Old Trafford – in our home, with our fans. We need to try to be like here. And I think we’re getting there. Like I told you, the whole team is ready, is trying to prove that they’re ready to play in the most important games and games like this one as well.

Q. Finally, are you hopeful for Wednesday that we can get through against Bayern Munich?

Chicha: Yeah, of course. That’s the feeling of everybody. Like I told you, the performance of today showed that we’re going to make the difficult choices for the manager for the next game.

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