It was with huge relief that many Manchester United fans celebrated the departure of Tom Cleverley on Twitter, ten days ago. Trolls erupted on this social media network but the player wouldn't let that get to his head.
"You don’t turn into a bad player just because someone says it on Twitter. I probably wasn’t the only [Man] United player to get it last year. For as long as Man United aren’t winning trophies, players will get criticised. I’m fully aware of that," Cleverley claimed on Thursday.
He boasted:
"I’ve still got a league title, 13 England caps.
"If all the players say they were high in confidence last season I think they would be lying. It wasn’t just me. It was the rest of the squad too."
Tom Cleverley was part of the 'David Moyes episode' at the Theatre of Dreams. But the nightmare is not over yet. He will become a free agent at the end of the season as Louis Van Gaal's Red Devils have rejected the option of giving him a new contract. That said, the pressure is on the 25-year-old midfielder to impress his manager at Aston Villa and seal a permanent move to Villa Park on a £7.5M deal during the January transfer window. Cleverley prefers to remain positive despite the jeers.
"I’m sure one season doesn’t turn you into a bad player. That’s football for you. The year before I won the league, played 20-odd games," he continued.
"Football is a game of opinions. You can’t please everyone and the main opinion for me is the manager I am playing under."
The English player was granted the right by the Premier League to complete his loan move from Manchester United to Aston Villa, several hours after the summer transfer window deadline. At Villa Park, Cleverley could resurrect his career and build a new image for himself as a hard-working and reliable footballer. Aston Villa will visit Anfield to play Liverpool in Saturday's evening kickoff in the EPL; a chance for Cleverley to prove a point.
