"We should not put pressure on ourselves" - Manchester United star on team's below-par start to the season
New Manchester United full-back Noussair Mazraoui has reflected on his team's haslow start to the season. The Red Devils are coming off their worst-ever Premier League finish of eighth in the previous campaign.
Nevertheless, they qualified for the UEFA Europa League by upsetting holders Mancheser City 2-1 in the final. United made a few reinforcements this summer, bringing in the likes of Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee. The Red Devils opened the new season with a shootout loss to City in the FA Community Shield.
They returned to winning ways with a 1-0 home win over Fulham in their Premier League opener. Erik ten Hag's side, though, slumped to a surrpise 2-1 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion in their next outing, conceding a 95th-minute winner in a game they had multiple chances to win.
Mazraoui - who arrived from Bayern Munich this summer - isn't too keen to dwell on a 'small setback', as the season is long. He said (as per viaplay via The European Lad):
“We played good the first 2 games. We won one, and we lost one, which we could have also won.
"We should not put pressure on ourselves. Of course, we all know what happened last season, but a small setback shouldn’t make us feel like it’s last season all over again. Brighton also invested €200M."
The Red Devils next take on Liverpool at home in the league on Sunday (September 1).
What did Noussair Mazraoui say on his arrival at Manchester United?
Manchester United signed Noussair Mazraoui this summer from Bayern Munich in a deal worth £17.2 million, as per the BBC, with his defensive partner Matthijs de Ligt being signed for £42.8 million.
Mazraoui, 26, has started both Premier League games for his new side, playing 81 minutes in the Fulham win and the entire 90 minutes in the loss at Brighton, where he provided the assist for Amad Diallo's 60th-minute equaliser.
The Moroccan international - who had played under Ten Hag at Ajax - had said on his arrival at Old Trafford (as per the BBC):
"It is exciting to be reuniting with him (Ten Hag) as I enter the prime years of my career. I know what he expects from his players, and I will give everything to help the group be successful."
The defender is expected to start again when the Red Devils host Liverpool in the league this weekend.