Blackett: I've been initiated in to the first team now

Tyler Blackett has confirmed he performed the mandatory initiation in to the first team when on the plane on the way home from United’s victory over Liverpool in the International Champions Cup in American.

“All the young players did one tour,” he said. “We had to get up, one by one and sing it over the speaker of the plane. I did a song by Drake, called Hold On, We’re Going Home. It was quite fitting really, as we were on our way back. Luke Shaw went first and he did a speech, answering questions from all the senior players. Darren Fletcher and Wayne were behind it. It was all in good spirits.”

Blackett, a lifelong United fan who has been at the club since he was seven, has just the attitude you would expect from a player coming up through the ranks.

“You have to be disciplined with it and be able to criticise yourself,” he said. “It’s not an easy thing to do and can be quite difficult, especially if you are going to watch a game where you know you have not played your best. But I feel it is something you have to do if you want to improve. It is especially helpful when you are trying to learn how to play a new system [playing three at the back] like we are at United now. We all watch and analyse performances together after matches. You have to study performances on your own too. I’ve not only done that at United. I did it when I was on loan at Blackpool and Birmingham [last season] as well. I get the broadcasts of my games from the media guys at the club. I take them home and watch them on my laptop. Watching the games lets me know where I need to improve. I was watching one game at Carrington recently when Gary Neville walked past. He stopped, shook my hand, said “well done” and left me to it.”