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Axel Tuanzebe: What Jose Mourinho really said to me before Man United's defeat to Arsenal
MANCHESTER UNITED youngster Axel Tuanzebe has revealed the one task Jose Mourinho gave him before the Arsenal game.
Axel Tuanzebe made his full Premier League debut against Arsenal
Tuanzebe, 19, made his full Premier League debut yesterday as Manchester United fell to a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates.
The England Under-20 international started at right-back as Mourinho rested a number of key players for Thursday's Europa League semi-finals second leg against Celta Vigo.
And Tuanzebe has revealed how his only instruction was to keep Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez quiet - which he did expertly.
Axel Tuanzebe was told to keep Alexis Sanchez quiet
“The manager gave me one task – to stay with him [Sanchez] and I seemed to do that quite well,” Tuanzebe told MUTV. “But we didn’t win, so it doesn’t count as much.
“It is good to have the opportunity to play – the manager gives you a job and you have to show he can trust you for future games.
Axel Tuanzebe thanks Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho
“It is all thanks to the manager because he gave me the opportunity. We didn’t get the win, which is a disappointment, but I’m chuffed personally.
“At first, you see all the fans and you think ‘flipping heck’, but when the game starts, you lose yourself in it and concentrate on doing your job.
“I feel in with the lads now. It also demonstrates to people that I can play and the lads have more trust in me, so it is a good feeling.”