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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Samuel Luckhurst

Facundo Pellistri explains what Erik ten Hag told him before first Manchester United start

Facundo Pellistri believes he has gained the trust of Erik ten Hag now he has made his full debut for Manchester United.

Pellistri's 892-day wait for a first United start ended in the Europa League round-of-16 win against Real Betis in Seville, where he played the full 90 minutes.

Prior to his promotion, the 21-year-old had only made six cameo appearances - all of them this calendar year - having arrived from Penarol in a £9million deal on transfer deadline day in October 2020.

Also read: Pellistri responds to teammate's gesture in Betis win

"I'm really happy," Pellistri said. "I really work for this moment, luckily we could win. It was our mission. We came here to win, we could win.

"The manager really trusts me, so I felt that confidence from him. He told me to run behind, to get the ball and enjoy, enjoy the moment.

"And of course, we came here to win. We really liked the long balls in the second half. Marcus could score there and we took the win.

"Hopefully it's the start of this. Of course, I'm hungry. A lot of players in the group are really hungry, we have one amazing group. We all push to the same side. Hopefully, in the end of the season, we can win a lot of trophies."

Pellistri was informed he would be starting on Tuesday, which gave him ample time to arrange for his father and girlfriend, Cami Garcia, to be in attendance. "Yes, I managed to get my dad and my girlfriend here. They were in the stadium. So they really enjoyed.

"And yes, I knew it two days ago when we prepared for the match. And as I already told you, we came here to win. Although the result at Old Trafford was really good for us. We came here to win because we are Man United and we have to win every game."

Pellistri was sent on for his debut against League One Charlton in the League Cup in January but Ten Hag has since introduced him in more testing encounters against Leeds - when United trailed 2-0 - and in the goalless draw with Southampton when United were a man down.

With Alejandro Garnacho sidelined until April at the earliest with an ankle injury and Antony absent in Seville through illness, Pellistri could be in line for a first domestic start in the FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham on Sunday.

"Every player, we are ready to play," Pellistri stressed. "We are in a very good, good team, one of the biggest in the world. So you have to be ready.

"And yeah, unluckily, this is football and Alejandro had this injury and the same happened to me some weeks before. So yeah, we have to be ready because you never know when is your chance. As I told you, we are in such a big club that we have to be ready."

United have provisionally planned for Pellistri to head out on loan next season for more regular playing time after a summer loan move was scuppered when he sustained a foot injury in United's penultimate pre-season friendly with Atletico Madrid in Oslo.

Pellistri has not ruled out accepting another loan move next term, having already spent two spells with Alaves. "Of course, being in a club as Manchester United, you always want to be here. And we are very early to think about that.

"So now I'm focused on helping the team and to win, the more trophies we can this season. then we will see what happens."

United are favourites to triumph in the Europa League with Arsenal now eliminated and they will schedule a return to Wembley with victory over Fulham this weekend.

The United supporters chant 'We've seen it all, we've won the lot, we're Man United and we're never gonna stop' and that has struck a cord with Pellistri.

"We want to win everything, as the song that the fans sing!" he laughed. "We want to win everything. That's why we prepare and we train hard and that's it. We want to win every game and every trophy we are in."

And can he recite any other chants? "I'm still learning! That one is the one I like the most!"

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