Pereira Tipped For Top

his fellow countryman can ultimately become Portugal's no.1.

The 20-year-old returned from a successful loan spell with Belenenses in January but suffered an injury soon after making his Reds first-team debut as a substitute in the Emirates FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic.

"We have a third goalkeeper that I think will be the best Portuguese goalkeeper of the next generation," said Mourinho, about the Under-21 international.

In an exclusive interview with ManUtd.com in January, Pereira spoke of his ambitions to make his mark at Old Trafford and fulfil his potential. "People talk about you if you do well," he said. "I think it's football - I just want people to have a good image of me as a football player and also as a person, and that's it.

"It's good to be a first-team player now and training every day with the first team, in the changing room with them, I think is very good for me and my development too. It's a very good experience as each day I'm learning from world-class players."

Pereira travelled with the squad to Celta Vigo as the third-choice keeper and is certain to gain a massive boost from receiving such words of support from his manager.