The 25-year-old has featured in 43 of 44 fixtures across all competitions under manager Ruben Amorim, which he says is a huge achievement considering how packed the football schedule is, leaving many players without stamina or injuries that occur from fatigue. He spoke to the club website about how he can play so many games when many players often have to take a break.
“I think in top football, especially in today's game, availability is something that is becoming much more important than probably a few years ago. Football is getting a lot more physical, schedules are getting bigger all the time so the amount of games that top clubs have nowadays is really big, so availability is something that I became a little bit obsessed about, which I think made me a better professional and a better athlete as well.
“Ultimately, you become an option for the manager. Then, the probability of you being able to play is a lot higher when the availability is there, so I try to combine that with performance on the pitch. Ultimately, what you do on the pitch will resolve everything, but the availability for me became my first big priority, to be able to play a lot of games for this club.
“Everything that I do when I wake up is to try to be at my best mentally and physically to help the team. Then, on the pitch, it is a game and everything can happen. I always try to give my best, that is common in every game, but ultimately what you do outside of the pitch will try to define if you are able to play for this club or not. Competition for places is high, the quality is really high, so it is a tough place to play but it is the type of place that I love.”
The Portuguese international expanded on why he thinks being obsessive over availability helps his side and the manager who needs consistent players rather than those who show up irregularly.
“But what I try to pass to my team-mates when they sometimes ask for advice is that, as a football player and an athlete, you need to build this... I am not saying for you to be obsessive about it, but this consciousness, you need to be in the best shape possible, physically and mentally, to be able to play at this level. That is the first step to succeed.
“We know how to play football, we know the quality is there. If you are playing for Manchester United, it is because you have a lot of football qualities. But the rest, the unseen part, I think it is almost as important as that because ultimately it is going to define if you are going to play X amount of games for a club like this.”
Finally, he reflected on his 200 game milestone as United prepare to face Real Sociedad in the next round of the Europa League which will be a huge test for Amorim’s side in what is their last chance at silverware.
“I am extremely proud to be honest, it is something that is a really great milestone for me as an individual and for my career. To be able to play that amount of games for such a big club is something that is hard to explain in words. It has been a tough journey to be able to play that amount of games, but at the same time a really good one that I have tried to enjoy and hopefully it is one that I can continue.”