Shinji Strives To Improve

Shinji Kagawa looks increasingly at home in the Barclays Premier League but he insists his acclimatisation to the English game is not yet complete.

The Japanese playmaker earned praise for his second-half display against Swansea at the weekend, pulling the creative strings after moving into a central role and making our Man of the Match shortlist.

Now in his second season at United following his switch from Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund, the 24-year-old admits he’s still adapting to the greater physical demands of the English top flight.

"I think I can still improve my strength," he told ManUtd.jp. "I’m not the tallest or biggest player so I have to move my body more.

"Smaller players in the Premier League are very good at using their bodies [to get past the opposition] and that’s what I will continue to do.

"I realise the Premier League is a very tough league and I know I have to be stronger."

Shinji may be a perfectionist but he’s certainly made a positive impression on United’s new coaching staff this season.

"He’s such an intelligent and creative player that he makes everybody around him play well,” assistant manager Steve Round said.

"You can always find him, he always retains the ball, can turn and go forward, is intelligent and his creativity is terrific.

"He’s a really good kid as well. He has a great sense of humour and a tremendous work ethic. There’s never a moment’s problem with him because he’s such a terrific professional."

The training sessions led by Round and David Moyes have been demanding this season but Shinji is enjoying them.

He said: "It has been quite hard work and training is fairly intense because there have been so many games recently, so we have had to concentrate on practising in a very short period of time. But the sessions have been very good."