The match against Newcastle has been one of the best we have performed throughout the season, both at a defensive and offensive level and in the control of the game. Against PSG we also played well, although in the second half we dropped the level. The one in Newcastle was perfect and that means that, if we want to go through, we will have to do it perfect.
Despite the Toffees being reduced to ten men for the vast majority of the game, Idrissa Gueye saw red for an astonishing altercation with teammate Michael Keane in the 13th minute, Man United struggled to break down the resilient visitors, ultimately losing 1-0 to a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall strike. The disappointing result, which saw the Red Devils' five-game unbeaten run in the league come to an end, has prompted a furious reaction from the Portuguese coach behind the scenes, according to a reliable insider.
"We have a lot of quality between the lines, Mamadou also brings solutions at the back in terms of creativity and infiltration. I try to use tactical discipline to provoke this creativity and not the other way around. I think Maghnes had a lot of fun, while still performing well defensively. He was smiling at the end, even though he was inevitably disappointed," he told reporters.
Allegri always kept me in mind, even though I didn't play much. He gives you complete freedom in attack, but if you make tactical mistakes, he goes crazy. Di Francesco and Gasperini are similar; they pay maximum attention to defence.