Shaw: Soaring confidence can help us in Paris
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw says his positive attitude and the team's excellent away form give him confidence ahead of our make-or-break game in Paris on Wednesday evening.
The Reds need to win by two goals to avoid elimination from the UEFA Champions League but the left-back says the club’s current eight-game winning streak on the road boosts United’s chances of progress.
“It helps massively,”Shaw told us.
“The most important thing right now is that, I know we’re 2-0 down, but we’re so positive and so confident within the team. We have to pull off something special, but I feel that we’re capable of it.
“I am really positive that we can go there and get a result and get through to the next round.”
United have conceded just three goals in that club-record run of eight consecutive away victories, and Shaw believes defensive solidity will be key to success in Paris.
“Most importantly we need to make sure we don’t concede, especially early on,”said Shaw.
“I feel if we get one goal then it’ll make the tie completely different. They’ll feel it and it might change the game completely.
“It’s a long time, 90 minutes, and you never know what can happen if we get that early goal and our confidence goes onto an even higher level.
“I feel we can do it with the way we’re going at the minute, especially away.”
The Reds’ superb form since caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over in December has seen us win 13 of his 16 games in charge, drawing two and losing just one - the home leg to PSG almost three weeks ago.
While that 0-2 result at Old Trafford makes the French club favourites to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, Shaw believes the players can also draw on European experience from earlier in the season for inspiration.
While that 0-2 result at Old Trafford makes the French club favourites to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, Shaw believes the players can also draw on European experience from earlier in the season for inspiration.
“We just need to defend well and when we get our chances, take them. We did it away to Juventus, a very tough game, and very few people do that,“ said Luke.
“We just need to think about the good things we did there and take that to Paris with us.
“We’ve got such amazing attacking players. Players that can create and players that can score wonderful goals and I’m sure we’ll have a strong enough squad.”
The Reds have been collectively and individually to a man, and Shaw puts his own praiseworthy performances down to simply enjoying his football once again.
“It’s hard to try and pinpoint anything that I’ve changed, I haven’t changed anything massively,“ he said.I think it’s more down to confidence and enjoying myself again, a lot of which is down to the manager and the way he is with me.
”
“He’s helped me a lot since he’s come in and I think he’s helped a lot of other players as well.
“We’re very lucky to have this job but to do it day-in, day-out, like any job, you need to enjoy it. The more you enjoy it, the more you get out of it, and I think everyone’s showing that at the moment.
“Real positive things are happening and that’s showing on the pitch but also off the pitch. This place is a much better environment.
“There are lots of positives but I just need to keep going, keep focused and keep enjoying football.”
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