Patrice Evra

It has been an amazing week at Old Trafford with star striker Wayne Rooney (12/1 to finish as the Premier League’s Top Scorer) firstly insisting that he would not be signing a new contract with the club and wanted out, before performing a dramatic U-turn to put pen to paper on a new five-year deal.

Rooney had originally stated that with the burgeoning debt at Manchester United the club could no longer compete at the top level, and could not match his own personal ambitions.

Evra was obviously worried of the impact of Rooney’s stance at the time and said: “If one player in the team does not trust the others, he should not play in the team.”

Since Rooney’s change of heart, though, Evra is keen to get matters sorted on the pitch and insists the current squad is very capable of challenging for honours this season.

Evra told the Sunday Mirror: “I myself would not play for this club if I knew we were not strong enough to win the league. That is why we all play for Manchester United.

“At this moment, I think everyone just needs to focus on their own job again and we will see at the end of the season. I agree with the criticism that United have not had the winning mentality this season.

“We draw, we win and then we draw again and, of course, people will talk about this not being the same United because we are already behind Chelsea in the league.

“I know this is not normal for us, but after what has happened this week we need to make sure we win against Stoke and then everything will look better.

“I only stay in Manchester to win trophies and my message is that if people think that United are finished they are making a big mistake. I say this because it is the truth and I believe it.”

Manchester United (8/11 in the match betting) take their unbeaten record to Stoke (4/1 to win, 5/2 the draw) on Sunday but they are still looking for their first win away from home this season.

Rooney was stretchered off the training field with United last week with an ankle problem and has been ruled out for three weeks, while Jonny Evans, Michael Owen and Ryan Giggs are also unavailable for Sir Alex Ferguson.

Striker Ricardo Fuller aggravated a shoulder injury at Bolton last week but could still make the bench for Stoke, although midfielder Dean Whitehead will sit out through suspension after picking up his fifth booking of the season.

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France

Les Bleus had Thierry Henry and Florent Malouda on the bench for the game, and the latter expressed his frustration later at only being used as a substitute.

However, Evra does not thing a drastic overhaul is needed for the Group A game against Mexico on Thursday (4/9 France – To Qualify).

“What would I change for the next game? Score a goal!” said Evra.

“We will keep going, create a lot of chances and be strong like we were in the first match, because I don’t think Uruguay caused a lot of problems for us.

“We need to create more chances to score goals. I think the tactics were okay for us.

“We talked with the boss before the game and we were very happy with these tactics. It is not the first time we’ve played like that. Maybe against Mexico we can change things around, we’ll see.

“Now, against Mexico, we need to win and we’ll see after that in the match against South Africa (what we need).”

Meanwhile, France goalscoring legend Just Fontaine says he is struggling to see the side scoring goals during the tournament.

Fontaine, whose record of 13 goals in a tournament from 1958 still stands, is confident none of the current players are about to pass that mark.

“It’s not because of any of the strikers I saw in France-Uruguay that I’m going to be shaking,” said Fontaine.

“Anelka continues to come back, which meant the the three Uruguay centres were gifted, so much so that there wasn’t a single shot from 25 metres, only rugby conversions!

“I think Domenech should have taken off Anelka well before. He never left behind one or two of the three centres on crosses, didn’t catch a single ball with his head.

“During the match someone said that he had leaden feet. Well the head too then.

“Ribery? One day, we made the stupidity of saying that he was the brains of the team and since then he has believed it. He dribbles past seven players but then the eighth one takes the ball off him.

“Gourcuff? He’s lost. He is tired following his season, he is less lively and above all, he doesn’t know who to give the ball to, since Anelka plays behind him!

“I’m not optimistic. I hope they’ll prove me a liar. But…”

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Manchester United

The 28-year-old was part of the United side who did their bit by beating Stoke 4-0 on the final day of the season, only to see Chelsea down Wigan by an incredible 8-0 scoreline.

But now the former Monaco star has turned his attention to the international scene as France look to win their second World Cup, following victory back in the 1998 tournament.

Evra has taken the loss of United’s Premiership crown badly and hopes that the upcoming showpiece in South Africa can go some way to deflecting thoughts of Chelsea claiming the trophy from his mind.

“The World Cup is the only thing that makes me keep smiling,” he told L’Equipe.

“I will be with the team of France on May 15 and I will have had six days off.

“But I will give the best of myself, as I have done for Manchester United.”

France are not many pundits’ choice as potential winners this summer, with Spain the red-hot favourites at 4-1.

Brazil trade at 5/1 with England at 6/1 and Evra would love to overturn those odds and beat the country in which he plies his trade at the business end of affairs.

“I hope to win the World Cup,” he added. “I hope we play England in the final and beat them, certainly.”

France face a tricky task to qualify from Group A in South Africa and are priced at 1/3 to make it to the knockout phase of the world’s greatest football tournament.

But they will have to work hard to get past Mexico (4/5), Uruguay (evens) and the hosts, who are on offer at 21/10 to make an unlikely appearance in the last 16.

France’s glory years appear to be behind them at present but momentum is an important factor in major tournaments and, if they get on a run, Raymond Domenech’s men may yet cause a few shocks over the next couple of months, with the likes of Thierry Henry and Frank Ribery in their ranks.

The initial 30-man squad contains a number of English-based players, with Chelsea stars Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda sure to remind Evra where the Premiership trophy will be displayed over the next 12 months.

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