Heading into 2019 strong

Hi everyone,

It’s the last day of 2018 and the last post of the year. The win against Bournemouth on Sunday, our third in a row, helped us all to enjoy a great Christmas period. There are a lot of games in a short space of time and it isn’t easy to manage them, but I believe we are playing at a high level and the results are coming.

Against Bournemouth we scored early and this made things a little easier so we could dominate the game and take the win. It was a great performance from the whole team, with a lot of individual moments of brilliance, but we are already thinking about the two upcoming games during the first week of the new year. We face Newcastle and then Reading in the FA Cup.

Ending 2018 with two wins has been very positive, as we can feel that the fans are happy and hopeful again after going through some understandably frustrating moments over the last year. We are Manchester United and we have to demand ourselves to perform at a high level because that is what the history of our huge club dictates. We can’t settle for less. As in life, it is clear that there are some happy moments and others that aren’t so, but I am optimistic and convinced that the new year is going to bring us positives.

Personally, I feel good and proud of the 40 games that I featured in across the second half of last season and the first half of this. I’m looking forward in playing in just as many during the new year. Above all, I’m excited to keep enjoying this amazing sport. It is such a special and powerful one, capable of affecting the lives of many people if we try to; it is what we are doing with Common Goal and today, on the final day of the year, I want to thank those of you who have joined, shown an interest, supported or simply told others about it. I don’t want to forget to give my best wishes to all of the people who are dedicating their time and efforts to organisations all over the world who try to give more children the chance to have a future. The same to my fellow players who have joined the movement, many thanks to you all.

I don’t want to go on for too long today. Enjoy the last day of the year – I’ve already told you that in Spain the tradition to celebrate the occasion is to eat 12 grapes – and if it is with your loved ones then even better. We will train on Monday, before having the afternoon and evening off to spend time with people that we want the best for heading into 2019, which I’m sure is going to hold great things for us all.

Hugs and my best wishes heading into the start of 2019.