• 'It's more of a defender's number than 23 and looks nicer'
Wednesday 31 August 2011
The Manchester United centre-back Jonny Evans, left, keeps Arsenal's Theo Walcott in check at Old Trafford on Sunday. Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images
Jonny Evans is reading nothing into his newly-acquired Manchester United No6 shirt. With Wes Brown opting to end his long association with United and sign for Sunderland in the summer, the shirt that has also been worn in the past by Gary Pallister became vacant.
The United captain Nemanja Vidic was not keen to give up his No15, so the manager Sir Alex Ferguson opted to pass the shirt on to Evans.
It was not a decision the Northern Ireland international had to think about. Then again, it was not one he attached any particular significance to either.
"I am not superstitious at all," he said. "It doesn't bother me. I got a phone call one day and they said the manager wanted to know if I wanted the No6 shirt.
"I said: 'Why not?' It's more of a defender's number than 23 and looks a bit nicer. Tom Cleverley's got 23 now and I'm sure he'll take good care of it.
"But I am sure the manager doesn't really think about stuff like that – and I don't either. I don't have anything like that going on in my head."
Bizarre as it sounds, the man who on Sunday managed to prevent Rio Ferdinand claiming a starting berth for the massacre of Arsenal at Old Trafford cannot get a central defensive spot when he reports for Northern Ireland duty.
"I'd say 90% of my caps have been at full-back," he said ahead of his country's Euro 2012 qualifiers against Serbia and Estonia. "We don't really have anyone capable of playing left-back at the minute but we've quite a lot of centre-backs – it's one of the strongest points for Northern Ireland.
"I'm happy to play at left-back and get a bit of practice on my left peg. It helps my fitness as well. I am absolutely shattered after a game."
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