Valencia: From the Amazon to Old Trafford

The path from the Amazon basin to the banks of the River Irwell is, to put it mildly, seldom trodden.

For Antonio Valencia, however, it represents a fittingly unlikely route for a player whose career has been anything but conventional to date. Now starting his 10th year at Old Trafford, the Ecuadorian is a fixture at right-back and a regular captain of one of the world’s biggest teams; a far cry from his starting point.

Born in Nueva Loja, capital of the Sucumbíos Province of Ecuador’s Amazon Region, Antonio and his five brothers would scour their city and its surrounding villages in search of glass bottles for their father’s bottle deposit centre. He would also help his mother sell bags of fruit juice on matchdays outside the Estadio Carlos Vernaza, the local football stadium.

Initially spotted playing football with his friends by ex-player Pedro Perlaza, Antonio enrolled with local team Caribe Junior at the age of 14. So impressed was Perlaza with Valencia’s attributes, that he recommended the youngster to El Nacional, a local team keen on encouraging burgeoning talents. It was also the Ecuadorian Armed Forces’ team, requiring Antonio to move to Quito.

The youngster’s stint of national service and football training had a swift and lasting effect. “Undoubtedly the work he did in the minor divisions with El Nacional helped him a lot to increase his strength and power,” says Ecuadorian football journalist Rodolfo Mazur Oyola. “El Nacional was the club that shaped him professionally. They honed his technique and also helped him in his personal training. He was always a special player due to his skills, but he used to be thin until he spent some time there.

“He began training with former members of the Ecuadorian national squad, who guided him and recommended he be taken to the first squad. It didn’t take long for him to gain the attention of Luis Fernando Suarez, the coach of the national team.”

“When you're only 15 years old and you leave your family behind to go to the capital and play for one of Ecuador's top sides, Nacional, it's a brilliant experience,” said Antonio. “It was really great. I'd do it again without a shadow of a doubt, both for my family and for the club, Nacional.”

It would prove a whirlwind few months. Just 12 weeks after scoring twice on his international bow, and still only 19, Valencia was whisked to Villarreal by Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini. In almost no time, the youngster had gone from Ecuador’s second tier to Europe’s top level, and a place on the bench when Villarreal held United to a goalless draw in the Champions League in September 2005. Playing time would prove elusive at El Madrigal, however, and he was sent out on loan to gain action at Recreativo de Huelva, in Spain’s second flight.

Valencia recalled: “Initially my big aim was to play for the national team and after that, who knew? To be totally honest, it hadn't crossed my mind to go over to Europe quite so soon, but God blessed me enough and I was able to make the big step of joining Villarreal for a year and that was it. I'd arrived in a country which didn't have the same customs as Ecuador, I'd left my family and everyone behind and I found myself somewhere where it was very cold, so I was a bit down in the dumps at first.

!I was there for six months and then went on to Recreativo de Huelva for another six months. I guess that time was fairly difficult but thanks to God again because he had a good plan in mind for me, and I think he delivered everything that I really wanted.”

Though he had dropped a division, Valencia’s displays in Recreativo’s successful promotion push kept him in the frame for his country. Antonio was a cornerstone of Ecuador’s 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, and it was in the tournament proper in Germany where his career took another unlikely twist as he played his way into the attention of Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell. “I went to watch Ecuador against Poland and this lad stood out, playing in central midfield,” Jewell said.

“I thought he was a good player and when I found out he was 20 I couldn’t believe it. I watched him for the rest of the tournament, pursued it and we got Antonio on loan with a view to buying him. The daft thing is that there was no competition for him. I think he definitely slipped through the net of the big clubs. I was really impressed when I saw him because he had such a great understanding of the game.”

The language of football proved Jewell’s most effective method of communication with his new signing, who had little knowledge of English and needed a dressing room interpreter to convey tactics before matches. “It was an even bigger culture shock than Spain,” said the winger, “because when I arrived I saw that you drove on the other side of the road! It was quite difficult in those early months. If you leave your home to go anywhere it can be difficult, and I did find it really tough. But I gradually got used to things. It helped me a lot.

”I was fairly lightweight at the time, and I hadn't been used to doing gym work or much else on the physical side, so when I got to Wigan, I thought to myself that if I wanted to stay in the Premier League for some time, I needed to work hard in the gym, train and prepare well and eat the right food. Straight away things started to go better for me.”

Antonio made a mockery of linguistic difficulties with a swift integration to the Latics setup. “He was such an intelligent footballer that he just slotted in really quickly,” said Jewell. “He‘s a very intelligent boy. He’d pick up on what I said, even though it was in a Scouse accent. Every day he worked hard, was very courteous, very tough and a terrific pro. As a manager you’d love a team of Antonio Valencias. He was suited to English football because he’s tough. Not many players come over from Ecuador with a silver spoon in their mouth, and you could see immediately that he was a hard worker and he flourished.”

The move had a knock-on effect back in Ecuador. “The entire country was thrilled,” reveals journalist Oyola. “Without any doubt, his presence at Wigan increased the interest of the Premier League, which was already followed closely by many people. People wanted to follow his development. Unfortunately, because Wigan were a small team, their games were not broadcast regularly, so fans used to wait the release of special reports in order to see how he did. However when a Wigan match was announced to be broadcast, the whole country was there to see him in action, regardless of the time.”

It didn’t take too long for Valencia’s audiences to grow. Wigan exercised their option to sign the winger permanently from Villarreal in January 2008 – for a meagre £4million fee - and a year on, Latics manager Steve Bruce revealed that Antonio had rejected the chance to join Real Madrid. Six months later, however, he couldn’t resist the chance to be part of United’s rebuilding exercise after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

“I was on holiday when I heard that United were interested in me,” Valencia recalled. “My agent told me we had to travel over here because they wanted to speak with me and I couldn't believe it. I can remember calling my mum and dad, we had a chat and they were delighted. They are moments that you are never going to forget. I think that as a young lad, I was so keen and so excited to play for the club, I didn't even look at the figures or anything. The only thing I wanted to do was put on the United shirt and play for the team, so the negotiations did not last very long.

“I remember being in Ecuador and being really nervous. It was Manchester, and I had to make sure I was good enough to be at United. I had to make sure I was fit and well prepared. When I arrived I was nervous, but I was with friends who loved me and rated my ability, and who told me to relax and that everything would turn out well.”

Valencia immediately struck up fruitful relationships with his new colleagues, and his arrival coincided with the most prolific season of Wayne Rooney’s career – the striker was on course to double his previous season’s tally before injury decimated the final eight weeks of the 2009/10 campaign. The form of his supply lines – Nani and Valencia – was central to his success.

Antonio’s second season with the Reds failed to reach the levels of his first, but through no fault of his own. Having suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle in an early season draw with Rangers, he missed six months of action. Despite a rapid recovery to finish the 2010/11 term in devastating form, Antonio found his start to 2011/12 similarly disrupted by both an ankle blow and a pressing need to operate as an auxiliary right-back.
He played his way into form, however, and swept the board at the Reds’ end-of-season awards, taking home player of the year awards from peers and supporters, as well as the goal of the season award for a thunderous effort at Blackburn.

The winger inherited the Reds’ no. 7 shirt at the start of the 2012/13 season. Yet, while he ended the campaign with his second Premier League winners’ medal, he was unhappy with his form, feeling burdened by the pressure of the historic shirt, and reverted back to his no.25 after just one season. “I think it turned out to be a very good number for me when I first arrived at the club as I was just given the no.25 more or less,” he explained.

His frustration continued for much of the 2013/14 campaign as his involvement was reduced, but the arrival of Louis van Gaal and a ravaging run of injuries across the Reds’ defensive ranks conspired to hand Valencia a sustained run of involvement as a full-back. His first five seasons at Old Trafford had yielded a dozen sporadic outings as an auxiliary defender, but from 2015 onwards the move became permanent.

Having previously stressed that he was only doing his job for the team and preferred operating as a winger, Antonio conceded at the end of the 2014/15 term: “I quite enjoy it, I’m happy there. It works well and I’ve played a lot there this season.”

He did admit, however, that he still had work to do in order to master his new role. “When I go forward to overlap, I’ve always got to be conscious about getting back and it’s a lot more dangerous,” he conceded. “If you do leave room for people, they can hurt you. This is different to the position I’m used to playing in, where you can be less cautious when attacking. It’s been a hard position to learn, but the key is to keep your concentration for the entire 90 minutes. You’ve really got to be on the ball for all that time.”

While he has steadily picked up the tactical nuances of the position, where he has remained a fixture under the management of Jose Mourinho, the key to Antonio’s successful conversion has been his athleticism; providing the invaluable insurance of his staggering pace and power. With arms the size of legs and legs akin to tank tread, the Ecuadorian is a physical specimen the like of which Old Trafford has seldom seen, and he remains a benchmark of professionalism and diligence even after nine years at the club.

“He’s so responsible, dependable and committed,” said Valencia’s eminent forebear, Gary Neville. “He’s done brilliantly well. He’s got the temperament to be a defender and the ability and strength to cope with most things. He’s a very good tackler, very good at taking the ball off you. As a full-back, there were some attackers you could try and take on in your own defensive third, knowing full well that you could take them on, but you would never take on Rooney, Valencia or Giggsy because they were very good defenders. We’re seeing that now with Antonio as a full-back. It’s been a very good transition.”

Another distinguished former United defender, Patrice Evra, once joked that he thought Antonio had eaten a motor, such was his energetic approach. Even as he starts his 10th year at Old Trafford, after taking a long and winding road to this point in his career, our longest-serving current player still has plenty left in the tank.

Valencia's United story so far

Antonio Valencia has developed into one of the world's top right-backs since joining Manchester United from Wigan Athletic as a winger in 2009.

His nine years at the club, coupled with Michael Carrick's decision to hang up his boots last month, means the Ecuador international is now the longest-serving player in Jose Mourinho's squad.

On the anniversary of his arrival, we're taking a look back at Valencia's United story so far, season by season...

2009/10 - 49 GAMES, 6 GOALS

Having turned down Spanish giants Real Madrid in favour of a move to Old Trafford, Valencia immediately became a key player for United under Sir Alex Ferguson. Antonio had notched seven goals in three seasons at Wigan and he weighed in with six goals from the right wing - including one against his former club - during an impressive maiden campaign with the Reds.

2010/11 SEASON (20 GAMES, 3 GOALS)

Hopes that his superb debut season could be replicated were dashed when Valencia suffered a serious ankle injury in United's Champions League game against Rangers in September 2010. However, he made a breathtaking return to fitness and form within six months, playing a vital role as the Reds regained the Premier League title. He later started his first Champions League final, as United were beaten by Barcelona.

2011/12 - 38 GAMES, 6 GOALS

Valencia's third season at Old Trafford was probably his best as an attacking player, with his excellence on the right wing being rewarded with a hat-trick of awards at the club's end-of-season dinner. He was voted Player of the Year by both the fans and his colleagues, and he also collected the Goal of the Season prize for a tremendous strike against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. Sadly there were to be no team honours for Antonio and co as Manchester City pipped United to the league title on the final day of the season.
2012/13 - 40 GAMES, 1 GOAL

In the summer of 2012, Antonio inherited the famous no.7 shirt, marking another step forward in his rise to prominence. Though his consistency dipped slightly throughout the course of the season, Valencia recaptured top form just at the right time, playing a key role in vital wins at Stoke City and West Ham United to help recapture the Premier League title in April.

2013/14 - 44 GAMES, 4 GOALS

The following campaign was not quite as productive for the Ecuadorian, who had reverted to the no.25 shirt, as the Reds endured a tough nine months under new manager David Moyes. While it would generally be a term to forget for the team, Valencia's season finished positively on a personal note as he signed a new contract with United and received a call-up for Ecuador's World Cup squad.
2014/15 - 35 GAMES, 0 GOALS

Another new manager meant a new role for Valencia as Louis van Gaal took charge at United. The winger’s potential to play in a defensive position was activated by the Dutchman and Antonio ended the 2014/15 campaign with 13 successive starts at right-back, admitting: “I quite enjoy it, I’m happy there.”

2015/16 - 22 GAMES, 0 GOALS

Just as Valencia was coming to terms with his new role, he was dealt a double blow in 2015/16 with the arrival of defender Matteo Darmian from Torino and a foot injury which ruled him out for over four months. In spite of those factors, plus the emergence of Tim Fosu-Mensah, Valencia ended the campaign with a dozen starts, all at right-back. These appearances included the FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace, when Jesse Lingard’s winner stemmed from Antonio’s powerful work on the flank.

2016/17 - 43 GAMES, 1 GOAL

Guided by his fourth United manager, Jose Mourinho, Valencia was resurgent in 2016/17 and enjoyed one of his finest seasons at the club. With his transformation from winger to right-back now complete, Antonio was arguably the Reds' most consistent performer, and was named captain for the Europa League final against Ajax. The defender was later voted Players' Player of the Year by his team-mates, having won the club's Player of the Month award on three occasions during the campaign, and he signed a contract extension at the end of May to keep him at the club until at least June 2019 - the 10th anniversary of his arrival.

2017/18 - 39 GAMES, 3 GOALS
With club captain Michael Carrick unable to play regularly in the team, Valencia often found himself skippering the side. He maintained his exceptionally high standards from the previous campaigns and retained his status as one of the Premier League’s best right-backs. Despite his defensive and leadership responsibilities, he still demonstrated his innate attacking capabilities and twice won the club’s Goal of the Month award, for his superb strikes against Everton in September and Stoke in January. He also made his 300th appearance for the club, in a goalless draw against Liverpool. Carrick’s retirement at the end of the campaign means Valencia is now United's longest-serving current player.

Fellaini extends Manchester United deal until 2020

Marouane Fellaini has signed a contract extension at Manchester United until June 2020, with the option of a further year.

The midfielder, currently at the World Cup in Russia with Belgium, responded to the news in a statement: "I am pleased to be continuing my journey as a Manchester United player. I made this decision because I am very happy here.

"Also, I feel like this team, under Jose, still has a lot we want to achieve. I would like to say a special thank you to Jose for the faith he has always shown in me.

"My focus now is on the World Cup and I am looking forward to a successful season ahead."

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho said: "I am very happy Marouane is staying with us.

"I always believed in his desire to stay with the club and I am delighted that he has signed a new contract."

Fellaini was critical of United's approach to contract negotiations in May, saying they were "wrong" not to offer him an extension sooner, adding that he was "open to everything" when asked about interest from other clubs.

The 30-year-old had been linked with a move to Turkey with Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray reportedly interested.

During his five-year spell at Old Trafford, Fellaini has made 156 appearances and scored 20 goals, winning the FA Cup, EFL Cup, Europa League and Community Shield.

Credit: Skysports.com

Manchester United in talks to sign Lee Grant from Stoke

Manchester United are in talks with Stoke City over a possible deal for 35-year-old goalkeeper Lee Grant, Sky Sports News understands.

It is understood Stoke would allow him to leave on a free transfer and United want him as cover should there be injuries to senior keepers David de Gea and Sergio Romero.

It is likely Grant would be third choice, initially, with Portugal U21 goalkeeper Joel Pereira to be sent on loan to get more experience.

Negotiations are still at an early stage but are progressing.

Stoke signed Grant on a permanent deal from Derby in January 2017 after he was initially brought in on loan as cover for the then-injured Jack Butland.

Grant made 30 appearances for Stoke that season but featured just three times in the Premier League last term.

Credit: Skysports.com

Five things you never knew about Victor Lindelof

Victor Lindelof had a former Manchester United player's jersey as a five-year-old kicking around the streets in Sweden.

The defender, who has helped his country top Group F to set up a last-16 date with Switzerland in the World Cup on Tuesday, will be relishing playing on the biggest stage of all in Russia.

After all, he entered this world just as footballing history was being made in the United States when a penalty shoot-out had everybody fixated, including his father!

During an interview with The Players' Tribune, who also published revealing insight from Romelu Lukaku recently, Lindelof lifted the lid on five things we never knew about him.

VICTOR WANTED TO BE A KEEPER

“You see, already when I was five years old, my mother fed my imagination. She bought me this goalkeeper kit - I think it was of Fabien Barthez, France’s goalkeeper. Suddenly, I wanted to be Barthez. I’d be out in the yard throwing myself into the mud, making these heroic stops.

”Ohhhh! What a save by Lindelöf!“

A SENSE OF TIMING

”Of course, once I came into this world, my father was overwhelmed with joy. But then he said, “Okay., can we find a TV now?”

My mother just rolled her eyes, because she knew what he meant. She was like: “Really? Really?”

And my father said: “I know, I know, but they’re about to start taking the penalties.”

The day was 17 July, 1994. Up in Sweden, Victor Lindelof had just been born. Down in Pasadena, Italy was playing Brazil in the World Cup final.“

TV SHOW OBSESSION

After moving to Lisbon to join Benfica, times were tough for Victor. Being so far away from home, and unable to speak the language, he was lonely.

“Even today I can picture that room as if I was still living there. I can see the small flat-screen TV … the beige desk … the red curtains … the concrete balcony where you could see the training pitches … the bed with red sheets … and a mattress so hard that you might as well sleep on the floor.

”All I did in there, really, was call my mother on Skype and watch Entourage. I’m not joking. For six months, my best friend wasn’t anyone in Lisbon. It was Vincent Chase.“

AN OLD HEAD ON YOUNG SHOULDERS

We know some at the Aon Training Complex joke Eric Bailly acts like a 30-year-old - remember the birthday cake incident when he turned 24? Eric told United Review: "It was a trick played on me in the dressing room. I think it was joke set up between the staff and the chefs to decorate the birthday cake like that. It’s nice to get a gift like that and it gave us all a laugh, but yes, I am 24 and definitely not 30 yet!“

But the same thing is said to another of our men in the middle of the defence, as Victor reveals.

"It’s actually funny, because some say I act as if I’m 30. I guess they’re right, because I’ve had to mature quickly to overcome so many challenges and get so far.“

THE ICE-MAN

Penalty shoot-outs might fill most English people with dread but not this cool customer. He won the European Under-21 Championship with Sweden on spot-kicks and nothing was knocking him out of his stride.

“When I looked at the faces of my team-mates, I felt we had already won. We were all so calm. We scored our first. Then they score. We score. They miss. Eventually it’s my turn to take our fifth penalty. So I go into my own bubble. I’m so engrossed, my eyes are glazed. As I walk up to the spot, I hear a Portuguese player say: 'He’s gonna miss it.' That fires me up even more. I smash the ball down the middle - goal!

”Then Portugal misses, and we go mad … Sweden is the European Under-21 champions!“

Let's hope any Reds stepping up during the rest of the tournament in Russia are equally nerveless!

Why Lingard doesn't care about people's opinions

Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard has spoken about the toughest moment of his career so far – and how it shaped him to become the player he is today.

After his best season with United to date, Lingard is making waves with England at the World Cup in Russia and scored a spectacular goal in Sunday's 6-1 win over Panama.

In an interview with England’s official YouTube channel, the Reds no.14 revealed he found it difficult to adapt when he made the step up to the United first team in the 2015/16 campaign.

“When I was first in the United team, I wasn't scoring goals and I wasn't making an impact. Negativity comes with that. It's just about overcoming negativity. Blocking it all out,” he said.

“Now I don't care about people’s opinions. As long as I'm performing, and the manager is happy, that is all that matters. They are the people that you trust the most. As long as you do your job, no negativity should come your way.”

Despite taking time to find his feet at first-team level, Lingard has developed into one of our most important and consistent players, netting 13 goals for the Reds in 2017/18. And the 25-year-old has passed on some words of wisdom to youngsters trying to make their way in the game.

“My advice would be to concentrate on football. Things outside of football don’t matter, it’s all about when you are on the pitch,“ he said.

“You’ve got to stay concentrated and practice day in, day out, especially on your weaknesses. Stay loyal to it and keep working hard and take advice from the right people.”

Jesse knows all too well about the importance of role models in football, just as he had when coming through the United youth teams.

“The Scholeses, the Giggses, Rios, Rooney when I was coming through the ranks, they were always there for support.“ he said. ”To have them there, giving you advice, and training with them as well, it put me in good stead for now.”

Jesse's goal against Panama – a brilliant curled effort from the edge of the box – was reminiscent of his strike for United at Goodison Park on New Year's Day.

“It was amazing,” said the attacker of his first World Cup finals goal. “From where I was to now, you work hard for times like this, so you’ve got to enjoy those moments.

“I had a feeling (it was going in). It was a similar goal to the one I scored against Everton for United, so it was under my feet and I had to dig it out. I knew by the flight of the ball that it had a chance of going in.

“It’s one of the highlights of my career. The FA Cup goal (in the 2016 final against Crystal Palace) was important. My first England goal (against the Netherlands in March) was also important.”

Tour 2018 important for Reds' fitness levels

Spanish duo Juan Mata and Ander Herrera have spoken about the importance of pre-season as the Manchester United players step up their fitness levels ahead of the new campaign.

Speaking to ManUtd.com ahead of the squad's trip to the United States for Tour 2018, presented by Aon, the midfield pair highlighted the importance of returning to peak physical condition to ensure the squad hits the ground running in 2018/19.

“I think the tour is very good because you can mix between cardio work and also tactical work,” Herrera said. “During the pre-season you have to get your energy back and recharge your batteries for the new season, so it's a very important time.”

The Reds will face five opponents during the tour, including Champions League holders Real Madrid and fierce rivals Liverpool. They're mouthwatering clashes but Mata admits fitness will be the main focus.

“To be honest, these games are for fitness reasons and some tactical training because you want to be ready for the important games in the season.

”But it's always nice to play against the biggest teams in the world and it's great for the American fans that they get to see such big games.“

Herrera agreed with his team-mate on how fitness is key for the United players at this stage of the season, but also added that the Reds will be eager to continue the impressive record from previous pre-season tours.

“During pre-season you have to get your energy back and recharge your batteries for the new season, so it's a very important time.

”The result is not the most important thing during these games, but of course we always enjoy playing against big teams and you want to perform well and win big if you can.“

Herrera added: ”During my time at United, pre-seasons have gone very well in terms of results, but it's not the most important thing.

“But if we can win then all the better!”

Manchester United sign young midfielder Harvey Neville

Harvey Neville has followed in the footsteps of his father Phil by signing a contract with Manchester United.

The 16-year-old midfielder, who will now link up with the United Academy, has shared a photograph of himself signing the agreement via Instagram.

He wrote: "I am very proud and excited to have signed for the club I have supported my whole life @manchesterunited."

Neville previously played at United as a junior before moving to Manchester City and then to Valencia when his father took up a coaching position with the Spanish club.

Phil Neville, 41, and his brother Gary were members of United's famed 'Class of 92' which enjoyed considerable success under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson.

He also played for Everton and earned 59 caps for England and is is currently manager of England Women.

Phil Neville wrote: "Proud of you @harvey.neville. Go follow your dreams!"

Credit: Skysports.com

Our five favourite Ander Herrera moments

Today marks four years since fan favourite Ander Herrera made the move to Manchester to join United from Athletic Bilbao.

The bustling midfielder quickly impressed Reds with his impassioned displays, and has already won three major trophies at the club – notably excelling in the 2017 UEFA Europa League final win over Ajax in Stockholm, after which he was named Man of the Match.

But was that Ander’s best contribution in the shirt? We’ve selected five of our favourite moments delivered by the boy from Biscay…

THE GOAL: YEOVIL AWAY, JANUARY 2015

Herrera scored twice in his first three matches for United, including a nice drive from the edge of the area on his home debut against Queens Park Rangers, but his next goal - away at Yeovil in the FA Cup – provided the first wow moment of his time at the club. The plucky hosts were less than half an hour away from earning a lucrative replay at Old Trafford when Ander swivelled on to a Darren Fletcher ball and unleashed a booming drive from 25 yards out high into the goal. The fans were even more pleased with the Spaniard’s celebration: he rushed towards the away end with his fists pumping maniacally, displaying enough passion to shame a Love Island contestant.

THE PASS: CHELSEA AT HOME, APRIL 2017

Ander’s diligence and hard work are often complimented, but opponents overlook his vision and creative impulses at their peril. When United beat Chelsea 2-0 in April 2017, our no.21 was widely praised for his disciplined man-marking job on the Blues’ principal playmaking threat, Eden Hazard. But it was Herrera’s devastating pass to Marcus Rashford for our first goal that had the purists blushing.

The beauty of this pass is just how precisely and perfectly it is arced round Chelsea centre-back David Luiz. The Brazilian sees it all the way, and at one point steps towards the path of the ball because he thinks he can intercept it before it curves behind him and into Rashford's path. He makes the move, and immediately realises the game's up, and trudges off hopelessly in pursuit of the young Mancunian. Before he gets anywhere near, it’s 1-0 to United. And, while Rashford’s finish was calm and efficient, most of the credit goes to Ander.

THE SKILL: MANCHESTER CITY AWAY, APRIL 2018

As superb as Ander’s long passes can be, more often than not his job is to keep it simple in midfield and offer support with one or two-touch link-up play. Michael Carrick, Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba have typically been the players you would see taking on the more dramatic long or cross-field passes.

Imagination and shrewdness will always find ways to reveal themselves, though, and Herrera is a master of the improvised touch or clever movement that can open up space where there appears to be none. One of the most recent examples was an incredible chested assist for Paul Pogba, in April’s Manchester derby. United had put together a decent move in front of City’s back line, but there were still six blue-shirted defenders between Herrera and the goal when Alexis Sanchez fired a cross towards his upper body. No problem. His quick-witted chest pass – and a smart anticipatory run from Pogba – took the entire City defence out of the equation, and had Vincent Kompany sprawling aimlessly. The result? The first goal in a sensational second-half comeback that thwarted some slightly premature jubilation on the part of our neighbours.

But that’s just one example of Herrera magic. He loves one trick that sees him lean one way and then chop the ball back in the opposite direction, thereby unbalancing his opponent, and also the quick shifting of the ball from one foot to the other. You can see examples of both in our Trickbox video below (keep an eye out for the bit where he sends Fernandinho sliding across the turf).

Whisper it, but arguably one of his best moments in Manchester came while playing here in 2012 for his former team, Athletic Bilbao, when he flicked a marvellous looped pass that enabled team-mate Oscar de Marcos to fire past David De Gea. We’ll forgive you for that one, Ander…

THE INTELLIGENCE: EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL, MAY 2017

Surprisingly, not all professional footballers are completely in love with the world’s favourite sport. Billions of amateurs might tune in religiously to watch, night after night, but for some pros, it’s just a job; one they’ve been working solidly at for most of their lives.

It’s fair to say Ander Herrera is not one of those people. Listen to almost any interview with the man and you can feel his love and fascination for the game searing through. A fan of Real Zaragoza – the team his father played for, and where he too began his career – he describes attending their 2004 Copa del Rey final win over Real Madrid as one of the greatest moments of his life.

That love has also made him a studious thinker about the game. At a coaching seminar last year, Jose Mourinho revealed that, during the 2017 Europa League final win over Ajax, Herrera made the decision to change the team’s plan at set pieces. It had been arranged that Henrikh Mkhitaryan would stand on the edge of the Ajax box for United corners, so that his pace could be used to defend against any quick Ajax counter-attacks. But, recognising that Mkhitaryan had already been booked and could be forced into making a foul to stop a counter, Herrera instructed the Armenian to head into the box into a goalscoring position, minimising the risk the Reds could be reduced to ten men. Herrera then adopted Mkhitaryan’s position at the edge of the box, and watched as the little attacking midfielder flicked home United’s second goal. Mourinho later raved to his fellow coaches about Ander’s foresight and maturity.

It’s the kind of in-game cleverness that fans would barely notice. But for managers, players and coaches, such little details can turn matches, and make or break careers.

THE WINNER: FA CUP SEMI-FINAL 2018

That kind of conscientiousness rarely make the headlines, and football’s biggest stars are usually the heroes who put the ball into the net most frequently. Or those who regularly star in YouTube compilations comprised of daring tricks and flicks. So it’s always nice when team players, who do the less glamorous work in defence or midfield, get their moments in the spotlight.

It’s why so many Reds were delighted to see Ander net the winner against Spurs at Wembley in this season’s Emirates FA Cup semi-final. Scoring at the country’s national stadium, in such a prestigious game, will have given a football obsessive like Herrera a big buzz. And he deserved it for a lung-busting, all-action display on the day, against a very industrious Tottenham midfield that rarely lacks desire or heart.

Ander’s celebration was characteristically both excitable and sensible. He ran to the corner flag, slid to his knees, but with a stern look on his face that let everyone know there was still plenty to do to ensure the game was won.

A super player, who plays with the brain of a professional and the heart of a fan, it’s little wonder he’s such a popular figure amongst Reds.

Congratulations on your four years at United, Ander – here’s to many more.

Fellaini to announce decision on his future on July 1

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has said he will announce his decision on his future on July 1.

Fellaini moved to Old Trafford from Everton for £28m in 2013 - but his contract runs out on June 30 with the two parties unable to come to an agreement thus far.

The 30-year-old is currently in Russia as part of Belgium's World Cup squad but only managed 16 Premier League appearances last season.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of Belgium's Group G match against England on Thursday, he said: "I am not worried about my contract running out, I am used to it. I am strong enough mentally to deal with it.

"Soon I will say where I will be playing next season. On July 1."

Credit: Skysports.com

Darmian in talks with Juventus

Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian could move to Juventus this summer after his agent met with the Italian club's sporting director.

According to Sky in Italy, Darmian's agent has met with Fabio Paratici to discuss a possible move away and negotiations are on-going.

The 28-year-old joined United ahead of the 2015/16 season and made 28 Premier League appearances under former manager Louis van Gaal, helping the club win the 2016 FA Cup.

However, his playing time has dropped dramatically since the appointment of Jose Mourinho, making just 17 appearances in all competitions last season.

Darmian has the option to sign on for an extra year at Old Trafford when his current deal expires at the end of next season but previously told Sky in Italy he was "happy" Juventus were interested in him.

Sky Sports News reported in May that United are willing to listen to offers for Damian and Daley Blind.

Credit: Skysports.com

Pogba admits to 'small issues' with Jose Mourinho

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has revealed he had “small issues” with manager Jose Mourinho last season.

The Portuguese dropped Pogba against Huddersfield in the Premier League and Sevilla in the Champions League after hauling him off in their defeat at Wembley against Tottenham.

Mourinho's treatment of the Frenchman, who joined in August 2016 for a then world record transfer fee of £93.25m from Juventus, has resulted in speculation over his Old Trafford future.

Speaking about United ahead of France's final World Cup group game against Denmark, the 25-year-old has admitted to problems between him and his manager.

Pogba said: "It was a better season than the previous one.

"It was an experience. There were some small issues with [Mourinho], but they were nothing in the end.

"Being a substitute, that sort of thing, it helps you to grow. I have to accept it."

Only four players provided more assists than Pogba in the Premier League last season whose 10 was a high for United.

Pogba also scored six league goals for the Premier League runners-up who finished 19 points off champions Manchester City.

Lindelof: Going on tour helped me to settle in

Victor Lindelof says his experience of Tour 2017, presented by Aon, went a long way towards helping him settle into life as a Manchester United.

The Swedish international joined the Reds last summer from Portuguese outfit Benfica, and his first taste of playing for arguably the biggest club in the world came during the visit to the United States last July.

Jose Mourinho and his men will be travelling back across the pond next month and, before jetting off to represent his country at the World Cup, Lindelof reflected on the importance of going on tour.

“Being on tour is very important, especially when you’re new,” the defender told ManUtd.com. “It gives you a chance to get to know all the players, the staff and the manager, and learning about the system he wants to play. UCLA [the team base] was a brilliant place to train last year and the weather was good too, which is always a positive thing!”

Lindelof is currently away on international duty with Sweden in Russia. He was forced to sit out their opening 1-0 win over South Korea through illness but returned to action against Germany, making his World Cup debut in their agonising 2-1 defeat last weekend.

As the Scandinavians bid to prolong their stay at the tournament, the United man will remain focused on matters for his country for the foreseeable future, but when asked before he left for the World Cup what he most enjoyed about last year’s tour, he insisted: “Just the whole experience. Being in the States with the club, getting to know all my team-mates and seeing how big United is globally.

“It’s always great to travel with the team and experience new things, and, of course, meet all the fans around the world. I have great memories of the experience.”

Herrera: Why my full name is on the shirt

Ander Herrera's strong bond with Manchester United supporters began four years ago today when he joined the club from Athletic Club in Bilbao.

The Spanish midfielder has since become a firm fans' favourite, making him an ideal candidate for a Q&A on our official YouTube channel earlier this year. One of the queries that came up concerned his United shirt and the reasons why he wears no.21 and his full name across his back.

“I used to wear no.8 when I was at my first club in Zaragoza,“ Herrera recalled. ”I spent two seasons in La Liga, in the first division, and then I moved to Athletic Bilbao.

“I had shirt no.21 there. I think 23 and maybe 17 were free. But I took 21, I spent three fantastic seasons at Athletic Bilbao and things went very well for me so I just kept it.”

As for the reasoning behind the use of his full name, Ander said: “In Zaragoza, my hometown, my club that I grew up at, I used to be known as Ander and just Ander.

“So I had Ander on my shirt and when I moved to Bilbao, everyone used to name me more like Ander Herrera because in Bilbao it’s a Basque name. There used to be more people who are called Ander, so to make the people differentiate between me and, for example, a team-mate that I used to have named Ander Iturraspe, I put Ander Herrera. There is not just one specific reason.”

HERRERA'S Q&A

When did you first watch United play? Did you watch the 1999 Champions League final?
I think so. At least it’s my first memory. That was my first memory of United and what a memory. I remember the end of the game was incredible, the way they came back against Bayern Munich to win. Maybe I had watched United before, but my first memory is that match.

Which of your goals for United do you rate as the best?
Every goal for United is important and I’m always very happy to score. But maybe the one that I scored in the FA Cup against Yeovil Town away, three seasons ago, I think [2015].

Who is your favourite musician?
I’m not a big fan of just one musical style, so I couldn't name just one singer. I really like, for example, Juan Luis Guerra, he’s from the Dominican Republic but I’m open to all styles of music. David [De Gea] likes to play the music in the dressing room and sometimes I don’t agree with his choices but you have to respect him!

What’s your favourite thing to do on a free day in Manchester?
I am quite a homely guy. I like to be at home, but I like to know, to meet and to visit new places. One of my passions is food, so I like to know different restaurants and new places to eat. You can send me some advice on places to visit, that would be very helpful!

The evolution of evergreen Ashley Young

Seven years have passed since the day he signed on the dotted line, and the man named Young is now the oldest player at Manchester United.

And what a journey it’s been for the lad from Stevenage. Through triumph, turbulence and upheaval - and some of the most testing years in Manchester United’s recent history. But Ashley Young is still there, approaching his 33rd birthday, and arguably as influential and pivotal as he has ever been.

Few players manage the kind of career peak Young has reached at this age; fewer still do so at one of world football’s most scrutinised institutions. But for those who’ve followed Young’s career closely it will come as little surprise. Whatever the challenge, whatever the obstacle, eventually, this diminutive, whippet-thin battler gets his due.

When Ash was selected by England manager Gareth Southgate for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia, it applied a nice gloss, a nice climax to the story of his transformation from winger to reimagined full-back.

But that is just one of many stories within Young’s long and complex career. Behind them all is a core story that reveals what makes the man: one of relentless self-determination, of fight, of a desire to prove himself.

“They said I was too small,“ remembered Young, of his early days at his boyhood club, Watford. At 16, they told him he would not receive a YTS contract.

A few years later, Aston Villa paid a club record fee to take him away from Vicarage Road. In 2011, the Reds bought him, and he was given Paul Scholes’ old number.

After just two seasons at United, Young was a title-winner. He’d reached the top, having quickly endeared himself to United fans with stunning goals against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

That 2012/13 title win was Sir Alex Ferguson’s final championship at the club, but it was only the start of Young’s story.

Success might not have arrived as plentifully in the years since Sir Alex’s retirement – at least not in the Premier League – and managers have come and gone.

The men who have occupied the Old Trafford hotseat since 2013 may not have included Young in their plans initially, but they did eventually. Partly because he could play anywhere. During his seven years here, the only positions I cannot recall him playing in are goalkeeper and centre-back.

It was Louis van Gaal who first regularly employed him as a wing-back, on the club’s pre-season tour of the USA in 2014. The man who still regards himself as a winger has rarely started in an advanced attacking role since.

In Jose Mourinho’s first season at the club, the lad from Hertfordshire played fewer league games than during any other campaign he had spent at United. And by some distance.

But when your whole career has been built on willing yourself forward, forcing others to reconsider, to reevaluate what you can do, you know the drill. Work harder, run harder, perform.

“For the last couple of seasons, there have been lots of injuries, lots of doubts, lots of question marks about his future at the highest level,” recalled Jose.

And so the season after featuring in fewer league games than ever before at United, Ashley Young forced himself onto the field. Only David De Gea, Nemanja Matic, Romelu Lukaku and Antonio Valencia earned more Premier League starts in 2017/18.

“I think he’s better now than he was two years ago,” admitted Mourinho. “That’s the way I see things and, next year again, he will be an important member of our squad. If he’s now on 200 [United appearances], I hope, next season, he goes into the 250s.”

When Young arced home one of the campaign’s outstanding goals – a sublime free-kick – at Watford last November, the manager could be seen gasping, breath stolen, in the Vicarage Road dugout.

It was a fitting moment. The latest in a long line of managers to be won over by Young’s insatiable desire and drive, reduced to awestruck speechlessness, at the ground where his career began.

Where they told him he was too small. That he would not get a contract.

Umpteen years later, Young is still proving them all wrong.

When can United fans first see Fred in action?

Fred became our second summer signing on Thursday and Manchester United fans can’t wait to see him in action.

Luckily, Reds supporters hopefully don’t have to wait until the start of the season to see him play, as the midfielder is currently representing Brazil at the World Cup.

Fred could be on show when Brazil face Costa Rica on Friday (13:00 BST) and, on Wednesday, (19:00) he could come up against his new central-midfield partner, Nemanja Matic, in their final group game against Serbia. Of course, this is depending on whether he makes the line-up after missing the 1-1 draw with Switzerland due to injury.

Should Brazil progress to the last 16, they will play one of the top two from Group F, which would, most likely, be one of Mexico, Sweden or current holders Germany.

Brazil and Fred’s progress in the tournament will determine when he begins his pre-season training, but he could make his first United appearance in our final friendly against Bayern Munich on 5 August (19:45 BST).

The 25-year-old could be line to make his competitive bow in a red shirt in our opening Premier League game against Leicester City during the weekend of 11/12 August, with the exact fixture date still to be announced.

Fred keen to make history with United

New signing Fred learned all about Manchester United by playing computer games and admits he is honoured to be following in the footsteps of one famous former Red.

The Brazil midfielder has completed his move from Shakhtar Donetsk, after obtaining international clearance and a work permit, and is determined to make history at Old Trafford.

In an exclusive first interview with MUTV, the South American explained exactly what United means to him as he spelled out his ambitions.

”I’m really happy,” he said. “I’m so happy to be here and to have the opportunity to play for this club. It’s a huge club with great history and it’s a real honour to perform for United. I’m just so happy to have completed the transfer and now look forward to playing for the club.

“Manchester United, as I say, is a huge club. When I was young, it was a name I used to hear and it was a name I used to see on computer games and I used to play with the team. For me, Manchester United means greatness.”

Fred played at Old Trafford for Shakhtar in a Champions League tie in December 2013 and was thrilled to be up against one of United’s all-time greats. The only goal of the game was scored by Phil Jones during David Moyes’s spell in charge.

”I think the name ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ sums it up,” said Fred. “It’s such a great stadium. On that occasion I played against Ryan Giggs and I was so happy to have that opportunity to play against him. Now I’m coming to join the club, not to play alongside Giggs, but to play for the team that he represented and to fight for the same colours.

A move to the Premier League will test the 25-year-old but he cannot wait to get started and prove his ability in the famous red shirt. “It’s going to be a big challenge, that’s for sure,” he added. “But as I have already said, I am someone who is always looking to improve. I'm looking to show the best of my abilities every day and to work to improve, and that means working to play well and put in good performances in the Premier League and with Manchester United to achieve great things and win titles.

”At United, I’m looking to win titles, alongside my new team-mates and my new manager, win matches with the club and make history by achieving great things together.”

Why Jose Mourinho loves to sign Brazilian players

Jose Mourinho has long been an admirer of Brazilian talent and Fred, the 100th signing of his career, follows in the footsteps of a number of his countrymen by linking up with the Manchester United manager.

The boss appreciates the flair and creative influence players from the South American nation often have instilled in them from an early age. Maybe part of this affection stems from watching the World Cup as a child, as he did once suggest he “remembers little things from 1970”, when Pele and co illuminated the tournament in Mexico.

In a recent interview with ESPN Brazil, Jose said: “I think a team without a Brazilian isn't a team. I think their talent is fantastic and the creativity of the Brazilian player cannot be measured. If a European team, like very much European, could have a Brazilian in their squad, it would bring a Brazilian 'thing' to the game and I think that's very important.”

By delving into the manager's historical records, it is clear this is a belief he has held for some time. Even when coaching Uniao de Leiria, he signed Maciel from Volta Redonda - a winger he would also purchase when moving on to Porto.

Centre-forward Derlei also switched from Leiria to Porto, becoming leading scorer and a key figure in the 2003 UEFA Cup triumph, and Fabiano Rossato was also signed from Nacional but Carlos Alberto arguably had the biggest impact with the 2004 Champions League-winning team, arriving from Fluminense earlier that year and scoring the opening goal in the final against Monaco.

In his first spell at Chelsea, Jose bought central defender Alex from Santos and Barcelona full-back Juliano Belletti, in addition to Alcides from EC Vitoria, even if he did not make a first-team appearance. During his extremely successful stay at Inter Milan, the boss added Lucio (Bayern Munich), Thiago Motta (Genoa) and Mancini (Roma) to his ranks. Motta initially represented his homeland before becoming an Italian citizen.

Next came the second stint at Stamford Bridge, with youngsters Kenedy and Nathan both 19 years old when departing Brazil for west London, with Kenedy impressing during a loan at Newcastle United towards the end of last term. Filipe Luis was drafted in from Atletico Madrid and, of course, Willian, like Fred a former Shakhtar Donetsk man, proved an astute purchase from Anzhi Makhachkala.

The clever forward came on as a late substitute in the Blues' 1-0 Emirates FA Cup win over United last month and is expected to be influential for the Selecao in Russia.

So it has long been obvious that Mourinho loves the spark supplied by Brazilians and the unpredictability they can bring to a team. Fred has forced his way into the national team and it will be fascinating to see how he performs in Tite's World Cup side, having been earmarked for a key role in next term's United line-up.

It would be wrong to suggest it is flair alone that attracts the manager to such players - many of those mentioned had real character too and a wiliness and determination to their game that could only be developed being brought up in street football in South America.

The old-fashioned notion that Brazilians are free spirits with a lack of tactical nous has long been forgotten - the modern player from the great footballing nation appears disciplined and able to fit into a variety of systems, while retaining the ability to open the game up and make things happen.

Jose is not alone in admiring talent from the record five-times World Cup winners and there is a real buzz of anticipation around this latest signing. Let's hope he delivers once he gets his United career under way.

Robson: Fred Will Add Creativity To Our Midfield

Former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson believes new signing Fred will add an extra dimension to the Reds' midfield next season.

The club confirmed the Brazilian's move from Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.

Robson, who made 461 appearances for the Reds between 1981 and 1994, and is the longest-serving captain in the club’s history, expects our new acquisition’s qualities to bring more balance to the side.

“I think everybody was saying that we just needed a bit more mobility and a little bit more creativity in that midfield area,” suggested United’s former no.7.

“Fred definitely gives you that. He’s been very good for Shakhtar, so hopefully he can take to the Premier League and do really well for United.”

Fred made 37 appearances for Shakhtar last term, and played every minute of their eight Champions League matches. The left-footed midfielder, 25, particularly impressed during the group stage, when they became the first side to beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in 2017/18.

Robson himself is very familiar with Brazilian players, having signed two high-profile stars, Juninho and Emerson, while manager of Middlesbrough in the 1990s. The man affectionately known as 'Captain Marvel' explained that, in his experience, footballers from the South American nation typically possess great determination.

“I didn’t have any difficulties with them [Juninho and Emerson],” recalled Robbo. “Brazilians are tough characters, and mentally tough. The thing in Brazil is, if you don’t prove yourself in Europe, you’re not really a top-class player - that’s why they all like to come across to Europe and prove themselves.

“So I’m sure Fred, coming from Ukraine to the Premier League, will be tough enough and ambitious enough to want to do really well for United. I don’t think there will be any problems setting in as far as he’s concerned.”

Fred is currently with Brazil at the World Cup in Russia, and could be involved today (Friday) against Costa Rica, but will join Jose Mourinho’s squad later this summer ahead of the 2018/19 season.

He is set to become the seventh Brazilian to play for United’s first team, following in the footsteps of 2002 World Cup winner Kleberson, Anderson, Rodrigo Possebon, Rafael and Fabio da Silva, and Andreas Pereira.

Fred: Our Brazilian newcomer's story so far

In the signing of Fred, Manchester United have acquired the services of one of Brazilian football’s rising stars and hottest properties.

The Reds have landed the left-footed playmaker – who, at the age of 25, is still yet to reach his peak and has many years ahead of him.

United boss Jose Mourinho will be delighted to have snapped up Fred, who is currently away at the World Cup finals with Brazil.

The Belo Horizonte-born star becomes the Reds’ second signing of the summer, on the back of playing a key role in Shakhtar Donetsk’s successful title defence in Ukraine.

But he arguably reserved his most impressive displays in 2017/18 for the UEFA Champions League, in which he came up against United’s cross-city rivals Manchester City during the group stage and was instrumental in bringing an end to a long unbeaten run at the start of the season for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Fred also demonstrated his goalscoring prowess in the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition, making the headlines after scoring a stunning free-kick as Shakhtar beat Roma 2-1 in a Round-of-16 first-leg tie.

But it ended up in disappointment for Fred and his team-mates as their Italian opponents advanced to the quarter-finals on away goals, following a 1-0 home win in the second leg.

Nevertheless, the sharp exit from the competition didn’t take the gloss off another strong season for Shakhtar and Fred on a personal level, as the box-to-box midfielder produced some eye-catching performances for the Ukrainian champions and excelled as the orchestrator of Paulo Fonseca’s team.

Silverware has been a consistent theme throughout Fred’s career, which started at Atletico Mineiro in his native Brazil in 2003 before he left, six years later, to spend a single season at Porto Alegre.

His rise into professional football really took off when he made the switch to Internacional in 2010, where he came through the youth ranks to establish himself as a vital first-team player.

During his successful two-year spell at Estádio Beira-Rio, the dynamic midfielder won back-to-back local state championships, as well as the Recopa Sudamericana, and scored eight goals in 55 appearances.

His influential performances had attracted the attention of a number of European clubs and Shakhtar Donetsk came calling in 2013.

Likened to fellow countryman and former Shakhtar midfielder Fernandinho, now of Manchester City, Fred wasted no time in making an impact in Ukraine and netted twice on his competitive debut in a 3-1 win over Chornomorets Odesa.

Not to be confused with his namesake and fellow Brazilian, a 34-year-old striker who currently plays for Cruzeiro, Fred – whose full name is Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos – stamped his authority on the team and became a huge hit with the Shakhtar fans, as well as back in his home country.

He has already had a brief experience of playing at Old Trafford, with Shakhtar Donetsk in a Champions League group game against United, who won 1-0 thanks to a Phil Jones goal in December 2013.

After Brazil crashed out of the World Cup on home soil in the summer of 2014 following a disastrous 7-1 semi-final defeat against eventual winners Germany, Fred made his international debut later that year and was called up for the 2015 Copa America.

He started the final two group games as they reached the quarter-finals, where a surprise defeat by Paraguay ended their hopes of winning the tournament in Chile.

Fred continued to develop into a well-rounded midfielder who has been on the radar of a Europe’s top teams for many years.

After five eventful, but successful, seasons, he bid farewell to Shakhtar to join United having scored 14 goals in 156 games and won 10 major trophies – three Ukrainian Premier League titles, three Ukrainian Cups and four Ukrainian Super Cups – as well as gaining valuable European experience in both the Champions League and Europa League.

An excellent dribbler and gifted passer with both feet, who is calm on the ball under pressure, Fred has all the attributes desired in a modern central midfielder and will help to fill the void left by Michael Carrick, who hung up his boots at the end of 2017/18 to join Mourinho’s coaching staff.

After featuring as a second-half substitute in Brazil’s 2-0 friendly win over Croatia at Anfield at the start of June, Fred could yet prove to be a key player for the Selecao at the 2018 World Cup, having fought off stiff competition to be named in coach Tite’s final 23-man squad for the tournament in Russia. He was an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their Group E opener in Rostov-on-Don last Sunday.

Fred will be hoping to fulfil his dreams of lifting the greatest trophy in world football this summer before settling into his new surroundings at the Theatre of Dreams, which should be the perfect stage for the South American to showcase his talents and prove he has what it takes to become a top United player.

Fred has message for United fans

Manchester United new boy Fred says the club's global support helped convince him to join the Reds.

The Brazil international has finalised his switch from Shakhtar Donetsk and is already looking forward to playing under Jose Mourinho, after aiming to help his country achieve World Cup glory in Russia.

After receiving a number of messages from United fans on social media while waiting for the transfer to be completed, it has provided a real boost to the midfielder, who appreciates the support.

“I want to thank all of the Manchester United fans, even now, just as I am signing,” he told MUTV at the Aon Training Complex. “So many of them reached out to me and asked me to join the club and that really meant a lot to me.

”All I can say to you in return is that I’m going to run my hardest and work my hardest to make history for the club and the fans.“

Fred is officially a Red!

Manchester United is delighted to announce it has finalised the transfer of Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos (Fred) from Shakhtar Donetsk.

The player completed a medical and has agreed a five-year contract with the option to extend for a further year.

The 25-year-old Brazilian international midfielder has won a number of club honours, including three league titles in Ukraine.

Jose Mourinho said: “Fred will complement our other midfielders' qualities, which we need; his creative brain and passing vision will give us another dimension to our game. I am very happy he is joining our club and I believe our players know how important he can be in our team.”

Fred said: “This is the biggest club in the world and I am delighted to be a part of this amazing team. To work with Jose Mourinho, who has won so many trophies in his time as a coach, is an opportunity not to be missed.

”I cannot wait to get started and to meet my new team-mates. I would like to thank everyone at Shakhtar Donetsk for everything they have done for me over the past five years.

“This is a very exciting time for me with my focus now fully on the World Cup with Brazil.”

How have United fared on trips to Russia?

As the 2018 World Cup continues apace in eastern Europe, we look back at all seven of United’s games on Russian soil...

The Reds first visited in 1992, and are yet to lose a game in 90 minutes within the world’s largest country (by area). But that’s not to say we’ve had it easy. While the World Cup might be full of swanky new stadiums developed to meet FIFA’s specific requirements for the planet’s biggest football tournament, trips east in the 90s were a voyage into the unknown.

Torpedo Moscow, 19/09/1992 (drew 0-0, lost 4-3 on penalties)

United were unbeaten across two legs against Torpedo, one of five major clubs that play in Russia’s capital city, but were eliminated from the 1992/93 UEFA Cup on penalties following the second leg in Moscow. Gary Neville had made his senior debut in the first leg at Old Trafford and the return took place at Torpedo Stadion, now the Eduard Streltsov Stadium, to the south of Moscow. The match was a tight affair, primarily memorable for Mark Hughes’s red card and the subsequent shootout, where Steve Bruce, Brian McClair and Gary Pallister all failed from the spot. The Independent’s match report mentioned that Torpedo’s players earned just £4 per week.

Rotor Volgograd, 12/09/1995 (drew 0-0)

While Moscow was one thing, a journey to Volgograd, just under 1000km away from the capital, was quite another. Few Reds had even heard of Rotor, and fewer still made the trip thousands of miles to the east. Those who did go estimated the number of United supporters present as around 140, and reports that came back spoke of Russian amazement at the relatively modest personal items that supporters and staff had with them. The collapse of the Soviet Union had occurred just four years earlier, and Russia was a very different nation to the one we see today at the World Cup.

The match itself took place at the now-demolished Central Stadion, which was on the same site as the Volgograd Arena, where England beat Tunisia 2-1 on Monday night. United were stifled and held to a goalless draw, as fans back home peered through grainy television images to try and keep up. The tie was more memorable for the return leg at Old Trafford, where United’s 39-year unbeaten home record in European competitions came under threat. 2-0 down after 25 minutes, we fought back through Paul Scholes and, unbelievably, Peter Schmeichel, whose late header ensured the record was preserved. But it wasn’t enough to prevent the Reds’ exit from the UEFA Cup on away goals.

Chelsea, 21/05/2008 (1-1, won 6-5 on penalties)

No Russian opposition this time, but a familiar domestic foe in the biggest club game of them all, the Champions League final. When United fans think Russia, this game is the first that springs to mind, and is it any wonder? A pulsating 1-1 draw, a divine United goal created by two players produced at the Cliff, Paul Scholes and Wes Brown, and finished by the mighty Cristiano Ronaldo, and then a nerve-shredding penalty shootout which Edwin van der Sar clinched for the Reds by saving Nicolas Anelka's effort. One of the greatest nights in the club’s history, shared by 21,000 diehard Reds in the Moscow rain at the Luzhniki Stadium.

CSKA Moscow, 21/10/2009 (won 1-0)

A first meeting with CSKA Moscow, our most frequent Russian opponent, and a swift return to the Luzhniki. Antonio Valencia’s late goal was enough to ensure a first outright win in Russia for the Reds.

CSKA Moscow, 21/10/2015 (drew 1-1)

Six years later, to the day, CSKA gave Louis van Gaal’s United a Champions League scare. David De Gea saved a penalty but could not prevent Ivorian forward Seydou Doumbia from slipping home the rebound. United responded in the second half and a diving Anthony Martial header earned a point. This match took place at Arena Khimki, some 30km northwest of Moscow, as CSKA awaited the construction of their new ground.

FC Rostov, 09/03/2017 (drew 1-1)

Just 238 fans made the journey to Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia, for the first leg of this Europa League last-16 tie. United would go all the way to the competition’s final in Stockholm, but not before dealing with one of the worst surfaces encountered during recent years. A Henrikh Mkhitaryan goal looked to have ensured a first-leg lead, but Rostov struck back early in the second half and gave themselves hope for the return leg at Old Trafford.

CSKA Moscow, 27/09/2017 (won 4-1)

Europa League success ensured a return to the Champions League, and another meeting with CSKA, whose new stadium, the VEB Arena, was now complete. There are so many new-build stadiums in Russia due to the World Cup that grounds like the VEB were not even included in the Russians’ bid, despite CSKA being one of the country’s biggest and most famous clubs. United’s first visit brought about our most comfortable victory yet in the country – a 4-1 win in which Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial capitalised on some loose defending.

It’s a result that looks to have given United’s World Cup stars some confidence – none of the Reds involved out in Russia are yet to see their countries lose a match!

Manchester United expected to confirm Fred deal this week

Brazil midfielder Fred is expected to be confirmed as a Manchester United player later this week, Sky Sports News understands.

The club have been waiting on a work permit for the Shakhtar Donetsk star but that is expected to go through imminently.

Earlier this month United announced they had reached an agreement with Shakhtar and that "a further announcement will be made in due course".

Fred will become United's second signing of the summer for a fee reported to be in excess of £50m.

He is currently in the Brazil squad at the World Cup, but was an unused substitute for the 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their opening game.

Earlier this month, United completed the signing of defender Diogo Dalot from Porto. The 19-year-old is understood to have signed on a five-year deal for a fee of around £19m.

Credit: Skysports.com

Rojo: How the kid with no kit became a star

With the defender set to feature on the World Cup stage for Argentina again today (Thursday), we examine the determination and endeavour that have carried Manchester United's Marcos Rojo throughout his life to date…

“Where there is suffering, there is the chance for growth,” says Argentinian football journalist, Gabriel Lopez. “I think Marcos Rojo was born in the perfect conditions to be successful. When you are born into a house where a football is more important than any toy, in a neighbourhood which is all fields, where there is no chance of having a computer… that is where this footballer is made.”

United’s no.5 has come a long way, both figuratively and geographically, from the modest La Plata home where his infant years were invariably spent on the adjoining playing field. A defender in keeping with the established Argentinian prototype – tough, canny, bullish – he has made his mark with no-nonsense defending, forceful tackling and unwavering commitment: attributes which had been evident very early on in his career.

The son of an outstanding semi-pro player – Marcos Snr – a young Rojo would spend his days immersed in football. Aged just four, he entered into his first involvement in organised sport, signing up for Las Malvinas, and he swiftly made an impression. “He was different from the others,” says coach Mario Barbarino.

“At the age of four or five he understood what I was saying to him, he understood what it meant to get up and play on the pitch at the age of five. Training with the older kids, and the older kids hit you or play hard, and you pick that up and you never forget it. Running into kids who are two or three years older. At that age, that makes a difference.”

Suitably toughened by his experiences, Marcos rose to the rank of captain and, playing in midfield, scored twice in a junior league match against Estudiantes. At the age of 10, he was invited for a trial with the Primera Division club, a watershed moment in his development.

“Malvinas is a club, but more a neighbourhood club,” admits Rojo. “It is poorer, it is more about being with friends, but at Estudiantes everything was more professional, more like real football. I learned a lot there. Estudiantes was a great school.”

During his time in the club’s youth setup, Marcos also became an educational tool for his coaches. “He is an example to me as a coach,” says Alejandro Russo. “I work with young players and I can say that a boy who used to come to training on his bike when he was 12 - he used to travel 10km here and 10km back - he trained and he made his dream come true. He was a boy who came to training very happy, perhaps lacking some of the right gear, clothing, football boots, but he was always smiling and because of that his team-mates loved him.”

That was, perhaps at times, in spite of Rojo’s wholehearted commitment to training. “When he was going to challenge a forward, he would win,” says Claudio Vivas, another of his coaches. “He won because of his frame of mind; that was very important. Temperament was very important for him. As a very young boy, a winner, he wanted to win. When he went on the field he wanted to win.”

Over time, that mentality carried him to the attention of first team manager, Roberto Nestor Sensini. The 60-cap Argentina international, who spent 17 years thriving in Serie A, was impressed by an 18-year-old Rojo’s display in a training match between Estudiantes’ first team and youth team, and duly promoted him to the senior squad.

Marcos’ assimilation was made easier by immediate acceptance from his new colleagues. Aware of his background, his team-mates presented him with new boots so that he could train properly. “Straightaway, because of his charisma, he was adopted by the professional players,” recounts coach Alejandro Russo.

It just so happened that Rojo had worked his way into Estudiantes’ finest squad for almost 40 years. Since winning three successive Copa Libertadores in 1968, 1969 and 1970 – the first prompting the infamously fierce Intercontinental Cup victory over United - Los Pincharratas had won only three major honours. Managed by Alejandro Sabella and inspired by enduring midfield genius Juan Sebastian Veron, Estudiantes won the Primera Division and the Copa in Marcos’s first senior season.

“I was 19. That was incredible, indescribable,” beams Rojo. “They are memories I will have for my whole life. The day I made my debut was a very happy one because I had worked a lot, it was hard work. It is difficult in Argentina to get out of my neighbourhood. It is a poor neighbourhood.

“It is hard to get ahead. Jobs are often not very good and you have to work hard. I always liked football and I gave up everything for my dream and to see it become a reality on the day I first went onto the pitch was unique, and seeing my family there, sharing it with me, my mother and father so happy, they always used to come with me. Those are things that stay with you forever.”

More fleeting was his stay in Argentina. Within two years of ruling the continent, Rojo moved to Europe. A patchy season with Spartak Moscow preceded two years at Sporting Lisbon, but while his domestic form steadily improved, it was his dramatic rise to international prominence which precipitated a move to Old Trafford. Selected for Argentina’s 2014 World Cup squad by Sabela – now national team manager – Marcos was one of the outstanding defenders at the tournament.

“We knew him. We knew he wouldn’t let us down,” says Julian Camino, Argentina’s assistant coach. ”If Sabela handed him the shirt, he would do well. We didn’t debate it at any point. Whether he is going to play in a World Cup final or he is going to play the last-place team, he is going to play the same way: with that desire, that fortitude that he has, that always pushes him forward. With his teeth gritted, he will work until his last drop of sweat.”

United’s attention had been pricked. It was during the Reds’ pre-season tour of America that Rojo became aware of a potential move to Old Trafford. “I couldn’t believe it,” smiles the defender. “I was celebrating, jumping around the house with my girlfriend. It was incredible, for Manchester United to be interested in me, for it to be so real, it was so exciting.”

Though he was 24 when he arrived at Old Trafford, Marcos was already familiar with United, due to the influence of two of the Reds’ previous South American imports. “When I was a boy all I did was watch football and I would watch the Premier League,” he says. “I would watch Manchester United because Veron played for them and because of Diego Forlan. I always paid attention to Manchester United. They are one of the greatest teams there has ever been, so I watched every game.”

Now approaching his fifth season in Manchester and having made a substantial impact on proceedings, winning four trophies and registering over 100 appearances, the ceaseless grit and moxie engrained in Marcos Rojo has ensured that he has made his mark as a Red.

Lukaku recalls memories of his first tour

Romelu Lukaku believes his first pre-season tour with Manchester United, in the USA last summer, was vital in helping him settle into the way of life at the club.

The striker is currently away on World Cup duty with Belgium following a memorable first campaign at Old Trafford, and scored twice in his country's 3-0 win over Panama in their opener on Monday.

Lukaku will be hoping to progress deep into the tournament in Russia, which would mean he would miss the Reds' pre-season return to the States next month.

But he recalled last summer's trip fondly during an interview with ManUtd.com before he departed to link up with Belgium.

When asked what was the most enjoyable thing about the 2017 tour, Lukaku declared: “Oh, man – everything, mainly because it was my first one. Everything was great. The thing that really surprised me was how competitive the players are in training: everyone wants to win and I’m that type of guy too. So I really had to get onto that really quickly. At first I didn’t know that if you lost a game in training that people would be on you straightaway! [Laughs]

”The banter we had as a team was just brilliant off the pitch, too. We all had dinner together every day – not only the players but the staff as well; everyone was together. The team bonding is something that really amazed me.“

Lukaku also had some words of encouragement and advice for any young players who may experience tour for the first time this July.

“I’d say just enjoy it. It’s very simple with the manager: if you train well, you will get the opportunities to play,” he added. “I think Scott [McTominay] and Marcus [Rashford] are the great examples of that: if you work hard you will get a chance to play.

”So for the guys that come in, I’d just say make sure you deliver a positive impression on the manager and that you want to work for the team because it’s all about the team.“

Rojo: How Seba Veron changed my life

One night in 2010, the whole Estudiantes squad was driving to one of Seba Veron’s houses for a team dinner.

But not me.

I was about to get in my car to set off for the dinner when Seba stopped me.

“No, no. Come with me,” he said.

At the time, there was talk of me having an offer to leave Argentina and play in Russia, and he wanted to talk to me about it. This was Seba Veron. My hero. Everybody’s hero at Estudiantes.

So I got in his car and we talked. And talked.

The whole way to his house, we chatted. He told me that it was an opportunity for me to grow as a player, as a person, to learn new things and live in a different culture. And without a doubt it would also be to help my family.

Playing in Argentina, I would be able to help my family, but playing overseas, the South American player makes a bigger difference and he made me see that. He told me that it wasn’t easy because he played in Europe for 10 years and he missed his family and his friends, but that it was a sacrifice that would make me grow as a player.

This meant a lot to me.

I went to Russia. When Seba tells you something, you listen. He is the most important player in Estudiantes’ history, after all.

He has always been an example for me. I was an Estudiantes fan as a kid. When I was young I would watch him play for United, when he played in Europe, and I still remember watching him play in a Champions League match against Real Madrid. He set up a goal and United won 4-3, so that’s one of the matches that really stand out, but I watched him a lot.

It was a shame that things didn’t really work out for him at United, but it did mean that he eventually ended up back at Estudiantes, the club he started out at, for a second spell.

By that time I was also a player in the youth team, around 16 years old, and it lifted the whole club to have him back. At that point, the club always sat in the middle of the standings. We were an ordinary club in Argentina. And when he arrived, it was incredible to see how he raised the level of the players, and how he raised the club’s level as well. He revolutionised the whole club.

I started training with the first team when I was 17 or 18, and it was an incredible experience. My first ever training session with the first team… I could never forget the feeling of that moment anyway, when I used to go watch every single game at the stadium as an Estudiantes fan… but to see Seba there, to share a football field with him and run alongside him, it was just incredible. Incredible.

Firstly because of his quality as a player, but also his quality as a person, seeing him after he spent so many years in Europe. His mentality and his way of thinking was different. It wasn’t usual to see that in Argentina. To see how he would think and play every game, it was a lesson for us every day.

Everyone regarded Seba as a club legend. It was noticeable. When he was around, the environment was different. When you’re young and you’re with other young players, you’re joking around and playing, but when he would arrive everyone would shut up. You could see the respect everyone had for him. He didn’t have to say a word; his presence was good enough to change everything.

Of course, he could – and would – speak. He was everything at once: he was a leader and a dominant figure. If things didn’t go the right way, he would get mad. He always set an example. He was the one who would train more, the one who would work the hardest during games. That’s why he would get mad if things didn’t go the right way or when some players didn’t play their best. I think that made everyone raise their level of play. He was always there, on top of everyone at training, screaming, supporting and trying to get the best out of every player. I think that’s what made the team grow so much.

I believe that when he arrived he was about 31 years old, and he was in excellent shape. He was fast, he was precise and was one of the best players in every single game. His personality always stood out, as well as his tactical ability to manage games. His technical ability to hit the ball was outstanding.

He would see the game differently to everybody else. He had a calmer view of the game. When everyone was going loco, running up and down, he was always a step ahead. He controlled the ball very well, and his best attribute was his passing. His through balls, his crossing and switching of the ball were what made him stand out. Oh, and his ability to shoot from outside the box. If he ever had open space to shoot, his chances of scoring were very high.

He was our captain and he was always a role model for all of us. He was an excellent and positive leader for all the players. I was a fan of the club and to see that a player of his quality and worldwide fame wanted to come back to Estudiantes to play for his club, his home, that motivated a lot of young players to try to imitate him.

I always tried to follow and imitate him.

I still do. I try to do everything I learned playing alongside him.

Before Seba’s arrival, Estudiantes were just a normal team. With his arrival everything was strengthened. We won championships, played finals, won the Copa Libertadores; a lot of things that in the past would have been so difficult to achieve, but after his arrival, anything seemed possible.

Of course, the fans loved him. It was incredible to see that love. It was so hard for him to leave his house because even at the training facility or the stadium, so many fans would wait to ask him for photos and autographs. Everyone was always after him. In Argentina people are crazy for football, they want to take pictures with their idols all day, and they could be outside his house all day waiting for him to leave.

Nowadays he is president of the club and he is running Estudiantes very well, so the fans love him even more. It is one of the biggest clubs in Argentina now and the team has a new stadium. Previously, we never had our own stadium - we were always tenants – but he fixed that. Without a doubt for everyone and for myself, he’s one of the most important people in the club’s history. He will be a legend forever for Estudiantes de la Plata.

In fact, he was even playing a year ago, at 41, because of a promise he made to the supporters as president. Argentinian football clubs always need money, so he promised that, if the club sold a certain amount of box seats in the new stadium, he would play again.

They did, so he did.

No surprise either, he did it very well. With his age it’s a bit more difficult for him to run next to the young players, of course, but he still has the technique. He still has the magic.

I’m in constant communication with Seba, sending him messages or chatting over the phone. And every time I’m back in Argentina on holiday or with the national team I try to stop by at Estudiantes, to say hello to my former teammates, to say hello to everyone who works there and he is always there. He’s always there to tell me something and offer advice.

Of course, I speak with him about United.

I know he still regrets leaving United.

He was only here for two years, but he also arrived in a time when the club had great players playing his position, so that made it hard for him and he took the decision to leave. He always spoke great things to me about this club.

When Seba heard that I might be coming to Manchester in 2014, he called me and asked me if I would be signing or not. When I told him yes, that everything was all set, he told me I had made an excellent decision, that it was without a doubt, for him, one of the best clubs in the world.

He recommended where I should live: where he lived. He told me: ‘Look for a house here, it’s close to training and it’s a quiet neighbourhood,’ so he offered me advice given he already knew the city. He was very happy with my move to United.

Sometimes it crosses my mind, the fact that my career is similar to his. I left Estudiantes, moved to a small club in Europe and I have grown little by little. Playing for the Argentina national team, playing at a World Cup, and to now play for what I think is the best club in the world, without a doubt I think my career has similarities to his.
I hope that I have a lot more trophies to come and that, one day, my career can be as good as his.

Van der Sar: How De Gea can improve even further

Edwin van der Sar believes his successor in Manchester United's goal, David De Gea, is the best shot-stopper in the world but that Spain's no.1 can get even better in a couple of areas.

The Dutch giant was at Old Trafford recently and took time to discuss De Gea's remarkable form at Manchester United, which has yielded four Sir Matt Busby Player-of-the-Year awards in the last five years.

Ahead of the Spaniard's first-ever appearance at a World Cup finals, when a Spain side still coming to terms with the shock dismissal of coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the tournament faces Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in Sochi, all eyes will be on United's brilliant keeper.

Van der Sar knows more than a thing or two about the art of keeping goal, and the 130-times capped Netherlands international has been paying close attention to the 27-year-old's performances and was happy to offer some advice.

“No, I couldn't imagine how well he has done,” van der Sar admitted to MUTV. “Not really. He was a very young goalkeeper when he came, replacing me, but he and also the coaches have put in a lot of work to make him the goalkeeper he is now. Eric Steele first and, after, Frans Hoek with Louis van Gaal. He is performing really well. The next step is to be more demanding from his defenders and also to play a little bit more out of his goal but [in terms of] his reaction saves – nobody makes better saves than David De Gea.

"Yes, these are areas he can work on but he’s 28 [later this year] and I was 34 when I came to United. So he still has a lot of time to improve and the level he has now is an immense high. Maybe he can find another thing to add to his game and the goalkeeping coaches find another thing to work on to set himself as the proper number one in the world.“

Some people compare De Gea to van der Sar but, while appreciating there are some similarities in terms of their styles, the twice-Champions League winner thinks they are two very different goalkeepers.

“It's probably his height,” said the hero from the European Cup win in Moscow in 2008. “I think he’s made a lot of saves with his feet, which I did also in my time. I also played a little bit more outside the goal, coming for crosses and balls outside the box. I had a great understanding with my defenders – Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, plus Gary Neville and Wes Brown. It’s important for him to have that connection with the centre-halves in front of him."

Reds legend Edwin does not believe De Gea necessarily needs to have an outstanding World Cup to cement his status as one of the best on the planet as Spain look to get out of Group B, which also contains Morocco and Iran.
Moreover, it is important all the United players avoid picking up an injury out in Russia.

“As a club, you always hope your players are safe and sound," said the Ajax CEO. “No injuries – that’s the main thing. There are only 32 teams in it and only one can win it. For myself, Holland are not there so I don’t really care who wins it! Spain, Belgium, Argentina or Brazil.”

Opinion: The 2018/19 season just got real!

The release of the Premier League fixtures is always the first real trigger for the new campaign in August.

Yes, there will be grumbles the last season has only just ended, and it doesn’t seem long ago at all when I was watching Manchester United in the Emirates FA Cup final at Wembley, but thoughts inevitably fast forward to the big kick-off when the schedule is published.

Of course, the World Cup is now about to dominate the footballing agenda across the globe, and rightly so, but this morning’s news does provide a great sense of reality about 2018/19, remarkably the 20th season since that Treble-winning campaign at the end of the last century, when we also started with a home game against Leicester City.

If the cup final was a click of the fingers away, even that joyous night at the Nou Camp does not seem too far in the past. Those two decades have flown by and United have enjoyed far more than our fair share of success in that period. The way I felt on 26 May 1999 and throughout the next couple of days in Barcelona, I don’t think I would have complained if we’d never lifted another trophy again.

Yet, thankfully, this is not the nature that prevails within the club and there will be increased determination to wrest the title off Manchester City when the domestic game restarts. Jose Mourinho’s relentless pursuit of silverware and appetite for achievement means you can bet he is planning meticulously for next term.

Sir Alex Ferguson always used to say Jose raised the bar at Chelsea, making such fast starts that anybody with serious title pretensions had to be in peak form for August. The current climate would suggest City reached new heights in dominating the division and there was far less margin for error than could have been anticipated at this time last year.

Hence, the Reds need to be quick out of the blocks and the early transfer business appears to indicate things are running smoothly off the field in this regard.

By the time of the pre-season tour to the United States, the squad should be taking shape. It’s not just any new additions who can expect to be involved but also maybe those returning from loan spells and youngsters pushing for promotion.

And, with the tour, comes the build-up of excitement and anticipation that precedes every campaign. With the club flying across the Atlantic Ocean on the same day the World Cup final takes place, the transition from international to club football will appear completely seamless.

So, while we are all enjoying the action in Russia and hoping the Reds enhance their reputations, fulfil their dreams and, of course, avoid any injuries (if past tournaments are anything to go by, maybe I need to add 'avoid being made scapegoats'), there will be the constant thought at the back of our minds of what it will all mean in regard to the bigger picture that is life at United.

The World Cup is huge. Absolutely massive.

For all of us, though, Manchester United is bigger.

Credit: Manutd.com

The lowdown on United's 2018/19 Premier League fixtures

Manchester United’s 2018/19 Premier League fixtures brought up numerous talking points for us to pick out.

The outline of the campaign has become much clearer, even though all the dates are subject to change due to live television coverage and other possible enforced changes during the season.

Here, we look at what we have learned following the release of the Reds’ provisional fixtures on Thursday at 09:00 BST…

WHAT’S OUR START LIKE?

It’s fair to say the fixture computer has been relatively kind to the Reds, who will begin the new campaign at home to Leicester City over the weekend of 11 and 12 August. It will mean another return to Old Trafford for former United defender Jonny Evans, who joined the 2015/16 champions earlier this month from West Bromwich Albion. United also faced the Foxes at home in the first month of last season, when goals from Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini secured a 2-0 win for the Reds on 26 August 2017. If you’re also looking for a good omen, the Reds also started our Treble-winning season in 1998/99 with a home game against Leicester – when David Beckham scored a 90th-minute equaliser as United came from 2-0 down late on to secure a 2-2 draw.

Jose Mourinho’s men will then travel to Brighton & Hove Albion, which was our final away league game of 2016/17, before the first significant test comes in the form of the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to the Theatre of Dreams on 25 August. The Reds then make the short trip to Turf Moor to face Burnley, who capped a magnificent campaign last term by finishing seventh, before the first international break over the weekend of 8 and 9 September.

WHEN ARE THE TOP-SIX CLASHES?

United fans seeing the fixtures for the first time will no doubt have been scanning it for key clashes with the club's main rivals. Following the home tie with Spurs in August, the Reds must wait until 20 October to come up against another top-six side and will be looking to avenge last season’s Emirates FA Cup final defeat against Chelsea when travelling to Stamford Bridge to face Mourinho’s former club. The return fixture against the Blues is set to be United’s penultimate home league game, on 27 April.

Once again, the Manchester derbies are likely to be important in the title race. The first clash with our local adversaries will be at the Etihad Stadium, the scene of the Reds’ remarkable comeback victory back in April, on 10 November. Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions will then make the short trip across town to Old Trafford on 16 March, for what should be a thrilling contest.

The Reds won’t face arch-rivals Liverpool until mid-December at Anfield, where we have drawn 0-0 in each of the last two seasons, before taking on Jurgen Klopp’s men at Old Trafford on 23 February. After welcoming Spurs in our second home league game, United will travel to Tottenham’s new ground at White Hart Lane for the first time in our second away league match of 2019, on 12 January. Following Arsene Wenger’s departure at the end of last term, the Reds will come up against his successor Unai Emery for the first time when the Gunners visit the Theatre of Dreams on 4 December, for what is always an eagerly-awaited encounter. United, who completed a league double over the north London side last term, will then travel to the Emirates Stadium on 9 March.

WHAT’S THE FESTIVE PERIOD LIKE?

The Reds appear to have a favourable run of fixtures over Christmas and New Year, which is always a crucial phase of the campaign. Following the trip to Merseyside to face arch-rivals Liverpool on 15 December, United will make the lengthy journey to South Wales to face newly-promoted Cardiff City on 22 December. Over the years, the Reds have traditionally been at home on Boxing Day more often than not - and that will be the case again next season as Yorkshire outfit Huddersfield Town, embarking on their second successive season in the top flight, will be the visitors to Old Trafford. United will have another home game just three days later against Bournemouth, before making the trip to Tyneside to face Newcastle United on New Year’s Day, with revenge undoubtedly in mind after last season’s surprise 1-0 loss at St James’ Park.

WHAT’S OUR END TO THE SEASON LIKE?

The business end of the campaign is always significant and the time when points start to mean prizes. Once again, the Reds appear to have been dealt a winnable set of fixtures to conclude the 27th Premier League season. United kick off April with a trip to newly-promoted Wolves before hosting West Ham United, who were beaten 4-0 on their last visit to Old Trafford on the opening weekend last season, on 13 April. After a testing trip to Goodison Park to face Everton the following weekend, United host Chelsea in a potentially crucial clash but end the term with a trip to Huddersfield on 4 May before welcoming Cardiff City on the final day of the season on 12 May – the third successive campaign in which the Reds will finish on home soil. Facing the Bluebirds at Old Trafford may bring back happy memories for Juan Mata, who made his United debut in the same fixture back in January 2014 following his arrival from Chelsea.

WHO DO OUR RIVALS START AGAINST?

New Arsenal boss Unai Emery faces a tough start to life in English football, with a home game against champions Manchester City on the opening weekend, followed by a tricky trip to Chelsea and another London derby, at home to West Ham United, to finish August.

Like United did in 2016/17, arch-rivals Liverpool will start the new campaign at home to the Hammers, before an away game at Crystal Palace and home clash with Brighton, who were beaten 4-0 at Anfield on the final day of last season.

Elsewhere, after starting the season with the Community Shield against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium and an opening-weekend trip to the Emirates Stadium, City welcome Huddersfield to the Etihad Stadium, before ending the first month of the campaign with a trip to Molineux to take on newly-promoted Wolves.

Chelsea, meanwhile, will travel to the John Smith’s Stadium to take on the Terriers on the opening weekend and, after hosting the Gunners on the second weekend, visit Newcastle on 25 August. Our third opponents Tottenham also face an early-season trip to Tyneside – on the opening weekend, like they did last term when Mauricio Pochettino’s side won 2-0, before hosting newly-promoted Fulham in a London derby on 18 August. That match will be played at Wembley - their temporary home of last season - while their new stadium is completed.

WHO DO WE PLAY AFTER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHES?

The Reds face a mixed set of fixtures immediately after midweek Champions League matches in the group stage of the competition during the autumn – including arguably two of our toughest games of the league season, away to adversaries Manchester City and Liverpool. United will travel to Wolves on 22 September after the opening group match in Europe’s elite competition on 18/19 September, and face Newcastle at home on 6 October following matchday two on 2/3 October. The Reds host Everton on 27 October after the third group game, but then face testing away clashes following our European excursions - albeit with short journeys to our fiercest North West rivals. The first Manchester derby of the season will follow our fourth Champions League group match on 6/7 November and, after a trip to Southampton on 1 December follows our penultimate group game, our visit to Anfield on 15 December will come after the final group match on 11/12 December – which could be the Reds’ most challenging period of the campaign.

WHEN DO WE PLAY THE PROMOTED TEAMS?

Cardiff City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham will replace relegated Swansea City, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion in next season’s top flight. The Reds face an early-season clash against last season’s Championship winners as Wolves visit Old Trafford on 22 September, with the return fixture against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side set for 6 April. United have fond memories of our last trip to Molineux, which resulted in a 5-0 win back in March 2012. The Reds must wait until 8 December to be reunited with Fulham, who were promoted via the play-offs last term after a four-year exile from the Premier League. The Cottagers, managed by former Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic, will make the trip to the Theatre of Dreams first before United travel to west London on 9 February for the return clash at Craven Cottage. As mentioned previously, the Reds will travel to Cardiff three days before Christmas, hoping for a first Premier League win at the Cardiff City Stadium after a 2-2 draw on our only other visit in November 2013. United won’t encounter Neil Warnock’s side, who finished second in the Championship last term, again until the final league fixture of the campaign.