Odion Ighalo says he gets "angry" whenever Manchester United lose games
Odion Ighalo admits he gets “angry” whenever Manchester United suffer defeat.
The Nigeria international moved to Old Trafford on a season-long loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January.
The boyhood United fan scored his first goal for the club in Thursday’s 5-0 thrashing of Club Brugge in the Europa League.
And Ighalo says he is determined to help restore the Red Devils to their former glory.
"It feels great, at Old Trafford, hearing the fans singing my name. I'm very grateful for this moment. It's a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life," he said.
"The fans see me as one of their own because I came to this team because I want to play and because I supported them since I was young, and I want to do my best to help the team to move forward.
"They appreciate that and I appreciate them. From the first day I set foot in Manchester, they have been behind me. I promise them I'm going to give my best: win, lose… I don't care about the circumstances. I'll keep giving my best.
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"There is transition in life in everything you're doing. It's difficult sometimes when the team is losing games; as a fan, you get angry.
"Now, in the club, I have to give my best to make sure we are winning and getting results. Some games, it's going to be difficult because other teams are spending more money in the Premier League and in Europe, so it will be more difficult, but this team has young players and, working this way, I think we have a better future."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are currently three points adrift of fourth spot ahead of Sunday's clash with Everton.
And Ighalo says he is particularly keen to do well for the Norwegian because he idolised him as a player.
"I watched him when I was young," Ighalo said. "I watched quite a lot of them: Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ole, Teddy Sheringham. Playing for him now is great for me. I'm very happy.
"I'm just one of the team. We have to work together. I'm here to contribute.
"I'm getting better. The league is faster, sharper, I need more strength. I'm getting better every day but I'm not 100% fit."
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Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).
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