UNITED WERE BAD LOSERS

Last updated : 27 August 2002 By Editor

Defender Tamas Szamosi said:

"Their players behaved quite coldly at the end. During the match we agreed on who would exchange jerseys with whom, but they refused after the final whistle and made us quite angry.

"They were obviously mad about the result. Now I wouldn't mind being refused again - although a David Beckham jersey would mean a lot to me."

Goalkeeper Sasa Ilic:

"Whether you earn £500 or £50,000 a week everyone can play football. The mistake which United made against us was underestimating what we could do.

"In the end I hardly had anything to do during the first game. Now it is up to us to build on our advantage.

"We still have a great chance to make progress in Europe but it is going to be so difficult. United will come at us. Our task is enormous There will not be a moment's rest as I expect United to attack from the first minute.

"We were lucky at home. They may have underestimated us but they were superior for most of the match. I have tried my best to tell the lads what to expect. It's a bit like teaching kids not to play with fire.

"As soon as you've told them, they go and burn themselves. They have to learn that way. Maybe that will be the same for our team. Maybe they will have to learn against United.

"Hopefully, we can hang on for a famous win. United obviously have the quality. They are a terrific team with great players. As people saw against Chelsea on Friday, they are capable of stepping things up in an instant.

"Everyone went mad in Hungary. It was a massive result for the whole country. That is why we were so well-supported despite playing in Budapest.

"My wife and I still have lots of friends and family in London and 20 of them are coming to Manchester for the match. The lads have been talking about the game a lot. A few were disappointed in the first match as they were not able to swap shirts with the United players.

"Hopefully, we will all have an unforgettable memory of Old Trafford after we go there on Wednesday. However, even if we lose, we will enjoy playing in the UEFA Cup."