Legend's advice for Andreas Pereira
Manchester United's Head of Academy, Nicky Butt, has enthused about Andreas Pereira's stamina and fitness but expects the midfielder to express himself more once he feels at home in the first team.
As is the case with every young player, there is a natural bedding-in process where they perhaps take fewer risks in order to settle into the rhythm of appearing at such a high level.
Andreas has experience of loan moves at Granada and Valencia in La Liga, but the Premier League is still relatively new to him. Indeed, despite being a regular member of the squad this term, he has only made six starts in the competition, with a further 14 outings off the bench.
The 23-year-old's first Premier League strike, during the win over Southampton at Old Trafford, was so good it won our Goal-of-the-Season trophy at the recent awards dinner.
The Belgium-born Brazilian also started in the final game of the campaign against Cardiff City and a wonderfully floated through ball to Mason Greenwood deserved an assist, but the young striker's header was well saved by Neil Etheridge.
There is plenty to build on for Andreas, who was entrusted to start some of our biggest games of the season, and he will have the desire to really push on when he gears up for 2019/20.
"Andreas has done well," Butt told Inside United. "He’s a really good footballer.
"He’s technically very gifted, he’s a brave, tough boy and can run all day. He is fitter than probably anyone on the pitch. He needs to get into the rhythm and get more confident as time goes on.
"He needs to do the things he was doing naturally in the Under-23s and Under-19s. When you get into the first team – I remember when I went in – you don’t do the things you would do in the Reserves and youth team. You get away with it in the youth team – if you give the ball away trying to hit an unbelievable cross, you’re not giving it to, say, Sergio Aguero, who is going to run through freely and score the goal that knocks you out of the cup.
"It’s not the be all and end all like it is in the first team, so you have to tread carefully. When you get in the team regularly, then you can express yourself more. Scott McTominay has done that and I think Andreas will soon too because he’s a top talent."
Nicky Butt was speaking exclusively to the latest edition of Inside United, the official club magazine.
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