Valencia: More To Come

United’s players have been queuing up to pay tribute to Antonio Valencia, who has looked remarkably sharp on his return to the side. The Ecuadorian tells United Review there's still more to come...

How have you enjoyed being back playing?
It’s a great source of pleasure after all the time I’d been out. Training with the lads, playing again and being involved in different competitions with the team at an exciting time of the season – it doesn’t get better than that. I’m back at nearly 100%, happy to be involved again and hope to help us win some silverware.

Was it difficult to keep your spirits up while you were out injured, and were you ever worried about coming back?
All injuries make you feel a little bit down at first, but luckily I had the support of my family and my daughter, the fans and all the people around me, so it was easy to keep my spirits up. I was just determined to recover and that was always at the forefront of my mind. The physio assured me early on that I was going to make a complete recovery, which gave me a lot of heart and confidence.

Have you been surprised by how well you've played since your return?
My comeback has gone pretty well considering how bad the injury was, and how long the recovery process was. But I think I still need to work on a few areas before they are back to how they were: I need to improve my speed, strength and muscle mass. But I guess it’s not going so bad now I’ve been back a couple of months!

Wayne Rooney says he's pleased you're back – do you enjoy playing with him?
Of course – who wouldn’t? We enjoyed some success playing together last season but, more than that, he’s an inspirational leader for the side, a team player who gives everything for the cause.

Was it nice to get a goal against Fulham?
Yeah, it’s always good to score a goal, and especially so after a long period out of action. It was a small moment of relief for me, a milestone in my recovery, but my main aim was on getting back to playing and helping the team, so that’s what I was focusing on at that time.

What's your favourite goal for United so far?
I couldn’t choose a favourite goal – I’ve honestly enjoyed them all. But I’d love to score an important goal for United, in a final or another game that really matters. I suppose I’d like to score a few more in general, but I actually prefer laying goals on for my team-mates. That’s my main job and I enjoy it.

Nemanja says you’re someone everyone can look up to. How does that make you feel, coming from your skipper?
They’re nice words, but there are a lot of players to look up to at this club: Vidic himself, Giggs, Scholes and Rooney – these are all guys to admire and learn from. There’s a high level of professionalism at this club and it can only improve you as a player.

There's a busy schedule ahead, but having been out for so long, do you feel fit and ready to go in every game?
I think so! I’ve played in a handful of games now since my return and believe I’ve performed quite well. I’ve suffered no ill-effects from the injury and feel stronger with every game, so if the manager shows faith in me then I will do my best for the team.

What have you made of Chicharito and Dimitar Berbatov this season?
They’re both great guys, so it’s a privilege to share a changing room and also to be on the same pitch as them. They’ve enjoyed superb seasons, scoring plenty of goals between them and, at the moment, you’d have to say they’re two of the best strikers in the world.

So who would get your vote as United’s player of the year?
That’s a difficult one because there are so many players who’ve played prominent roles in what has been an enjoyable and successful season so far. All the guys have given everything so I wouldn’t like to single one out.

What would a Premier League winners' medal mean to you?
It would be brilliant to win the league, not just for me but for the Ecuadorian people who follow Manchester United as well as Antonio Valencia. On a personal level, it would be the perfect way to cap my recovery from injury to lift the title for the first time, so it’s something I’ve set my sights on.

If you could take one attribute from any of your team-mates, what would it be?
It’d have to be Ryan Giggs’ technique. He’s a phenomenal player with such grace and ease on the ball, and it’s remarkable that he’s maintained such a high level of technical ability throughout his long career.

This interview first appeared in United Review.