Only Patrice Evra has had more playing time that Rafael da Silva this season, as our young right back has gone from strength to strength.

Rafael admits he is surprised he has played so often but is hoping that he continues to play in every game.

“I start every season hoping to make an impression and play a lot of games, but I couldn’t have imagined how well this season has gone for me,” Rafael told Inside United. “It’s been great, and yes, I’ve been a little surprised to have played so many games. But I’m not a young player any more. I feel like I’ve developed and I want to play in every single game. I’ve waited a long time for this – getting to this point hasn’t happened overnight. I’ve been at this club for five years and that’s a long time. At first, the goal was to just play one game for Manchester United. Then, when you achieve that, you set other targets. Now I want to play every game and become a regular in the team.”