Depay: I WILL celebrate if I score against PSV

The Dutchman returns to his former club with Manchester United on Tuesday and says he will have no qualms about enjoying a goal, while he has vowed to continue to improve


GOALBy Kris Voakes at Philips Stadion 
 


Memphis Depay says he will celebrate in front of his former PSV supporters if he scores for Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old returns to face the club he left in a £22.3 million summer transfer, but he insists that, while he still holds great affection for his old side, he is now fully committed to helping United succeed in Europe.

“I have been asked that question a lot but it’s still a game and football is an expression, so I will celebrate if I score,” Depay told a pre-match press conference.

“Obviously I have a lot of respect for PSV but I play for Manchester United now so if I score I will celebrate.”

Depay concedes that it will be a unique experience to step out onto the Philips Stadion turf as a United player just three months after ending his nine-year association with PSV.

“Of course it will be special, I played here [almost] 10 years before coming to Manchester United. It will be good to see my old team-mates, it will be interesting,” he added.

“When I came on the pitch here for the first time I was very young, so I will think about that when I train on Monday, but on Tuesday it will be a different thing. It will be interesting but I think we’ll do a good job here.”

Depay has had a rollercoaster start to his United career, scoring twice in the home leg of the 7-1 Champions League play-off win over Club Brugge but struggling in the Premier League.

His domestic difficulties were brought to a head on Saturday, when he was substituted at half-time of the victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

But he insists that he is learning all the time as he looks to adapt to the English game.

“I learnt so much here, but as the boss says the Premier League is on a different level. I have to learn to improve in the English game. I learnt so much at PSV but it’s different.

“It’s a new experience for me, and I have to improve. I know that.”

And Depay admits that he is turning to his team-mates for advice as he looks to get to grips with the pace and intensity of the Premier League.

“Of course [Anthony Martial and I] are both young so we can help each other and ask each other questions. The same goes for Luke Shaw, he has played in the Premier League a lot more than me so I ask him a lot of questions,” he added.

United’s opening Champions League Group B fixture gets underway at 19:45 BST on Tuesday.

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