Cristante: "We have to start winning after the break"

Did you expect such a difficult start? What’s happened?

"Circumstances often make the difference. There are many games in which we deserved to concede a few goals, but instead we scored. Out of eight shots, we've conceded six goals. It's also because of a bit of bad luck. We need to do better. The international break is coming - we can work on our ideas. We've got to pick up points in our upcoming games.”

There's also a lack of brilliance, perhaps because players who’ve arrived have underperformed?

"I don't see it that way at all. In the first two games we created a lot of chances but were very unlucky. We had some very good performances. Today maybe not, but we could and should have done better. As I already stated, the circumstances often turned against us. But we must do better, we have to pick up more points."

 Was Lukaku the player you needed?

 "He is a well-known footballer all over the world, and he is one of the best strikers in the world." He's always made the difference, and he'll do it again this year."

 It seems to me that central, in front of the defence, you are more comfortable. What do you think you can give as a deep-lying midfielder, and do you prefer one role over the other?

"It's a question I'm asked all the time, and the answer is always the same. In the last two years I've played more in front of defence, and certain systems come more naturally to me. But when I have to play as a centre half, I always give it my all. Then there was today's challenging game, in which we didn't have as much time with the ball."

 Was Mourinho angry?

“We are all angry when we lose, no one is happy.”

 Did you expect Matic's departure? Were you surprised?

 “Yes, we didn't know anything. The player wanted to leave and was satisfied."

 How do you justify one point in three games?

 “As I told you before, a bit of bad luck and we need to do better. The international break is coming - we can work on our ideas. We've got to pick up points in our upcoming games. There's nothing more to say, we've just got to start winning games."