Marcus Olsson was full of praise for the manor in which Derby County stood up to the challenge against Manchester United in the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup.
Under the flood lights at Old Trafford, the Rams bowed out of the prestigious competition by a 2-0 scoreline against the 12-time winners – but it was performance to be proud of according to the Swedish full-back.
In an enticing game of football, it took no less than 84 minutes for Manchester United to break the deadlock.
And ironically, it was the former Derby County loanee, Jesse Lingard, who did so with an impressive strike on the edge of the area.
Romelu Lukaku later sealed the result with a 90th minute second goal.
Speaking to RamsTV to reflect on the game, Olsson said: “I think that we performed well, especially in the first-half and created a few chances.
“We were happy that we were in the game right up until the end, but, in the end, they scored a very good goal and we couldn’t do much about that.
“We knew that Manchester United were going to have the ball a lot, but as soon as we got the ball, we tried to keep it and play.
“It’s good for the team and I feel they stood up to the challenge well.
The fixture against the Red Devils also marked as a big occasion, not just for the team, but for Olsson himself as it marked as his first start in the team since the start of December.
Reflecting on his own performance, and sparing a thought for one team-mate in particular, Olsson had this to add: “I enjoyed being back out there very much.
“These are the places that you want to play every week and so coming to a place like Old Trafford feels really good.
“We were happy that we were in the game right up until the end, but, in the end they scored a very good goal and we couldn’t do much about that.
“Scott Carson had some great saves throughout the match against a very good team.”