Memphis Depay has admitted he has struggled with the step up from the Eredivisie to Manchester United but pledged that he would win back his place in Louis van Gaal’s side.
After an impressive start to life at Old Trafford, capped by two Champions League goals against Club Brugge, the 21-year-old has found himself on the peripheries at his new club.
Depay has not started a league game since being hauled off at half-time in a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal and was an unused substitute in Saturday’s victory over West Brom. Both Jesse Lingaard and Anthony Martial have been picked ahead of the Netherlands international, but Depay has vowed to regain Van Gaal’s trust.
He told NOS: “It’s difficult when you’re on the bench but it’s going better right now and it’s also going better on the training pitch. So if I get my chance to play, I will take it.
“Lots of things changed. I’m in a new club right now, it’s a different level [to the Eredivisie].
“Such things are playing a big role and you’re trying to find your way and it was a bit easy at the start but then I fell back and you could see it in the way I played.”
Van Gaal last month confirmed that assistant manager Ryan Giggs had been advising Depay during his transition to life at Old Trafford but the winger has followed his manager’s request that he take responsibility for his development.
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“You can assume that I’m busy with working on that and getting back to the top,” Depay said.
“I feel fit and I’m trying to show on the training ground that I’m doing my best to perform well. People are used to see me score and that shall also come, it just takes a bit longer now but you’ll have to find that form again.”
