Abu Ogogo: It felt like United had 20 players!
"It was like they had 20 players on the pitch."
The size of Shrewsbury Town's task against Manchester United was summed up by Abu Ogogo's sobering assessment of just how difficult it was to bridge the gap between League One and world class on Monday night.
Micky Mellon's side gave it everything, but United – minus 13 players but still boasting £175m worth of talent – were simply too good as they ran out 3-0 winners in the FA Cup fifth round tie.
Chris Smalling, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard scored the goals that separated the sides, but the gulf looked far bigger than 60 places in the footballing pyramid.
United, while perhaps not as dizzyingly irresistible as some of their great teams of the last 25 years, were dominant and in control from start to finish.
But for the goalkeeping of Jayson Leutwiler, the scoreline could have been more emphatic.
It left Ogogo, who missed two excellent chances near the end, admitting it seemed like United had extra men playing.
The 26-year-old midfielder, who was beaten by United as an Arsenal scholar in the FA Youth Cup, said: "Sometimes I thought they had about 20 players on the pitch!
"I couldn't really get near any of them, they were so good. They were, by far, the best team I've played against.
"In the first-half, we showed them a little bit too much respect, but in the second it was different and we created a few chances."
Ogogo admitted the experience of the occasion as well as the chance to play against world stars was one to savour.
He said: "It was a great experience – the place was full and the fans were great. Playing against Mata, who cost £37m, Memphis Depay, who they paid £25m for, it was always going to be tough.
"They're world-class players so to face them doesn't really happen a lot in your career and the boys enjoyed the experience."
Despite United's dominance, Ogogo reckoned the second goal – Mata's curling free-kick on the stroke of half-time – was the game-changer.
He added: "The second one, just before half-time really killed us. We came in at half-time disappointed, because the first goal we conceded was poor then he (Mata) bent it into the top bin for the second.
"It deflated us going into the break so after that it was an uphill struggle."
Town were keen not to be seen as souvenir hunters, but Ogogo admitted he got his order in early for a United shirt.
He said: "I got Morgan Schneiderlin's – I would have had Juan Mata's or Anthony Martial's, but theirs were already taken so I asked Schneiderlin in the first-half and he agreed.
"I mentioned ages ago I wanted Wayne Rooney's shirt, then he was ruled out injured."
Captain Nat Knight-Percival admitted there was a sense of disappointment, as Town didn't take the game to United as they did to Chelsea last season, when losing 2-1 in the Capital One Cup.
The skipper said: "A little bit – we'd have liked to have been better on the ball and created a few more chances.
"It didn't really work out that way and you could certainly see the difference between League One and the Premier League.
"They were superb on the night. We were trying to get the ball back and so we were working very hard off the ball.
"But we just weren't good enough on the ball and keeping it when we had those opportunities."
One thing that can never be taken away from Knight-Percival is the the only man to lead a Shrewsbury team against United in a competitive game.
He added: "To be able to walk out as captain of the side was a proud moment."
