De Gea: Manchester United fans helped me adapt

Despite the young Spaniard's shaky start to his Old Trafford career, he has hailed the supporters as one of the main reasons why he has managed to find form for the Red Devils

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has thanked the club’s fans for their continued backing during a tough first season in the Premier League.

After his big money move from Atletico Madrid in the summer, De Gea struggled to adapt to the fast-paced English game, but has since found his feet and claimed the number one spot as his own.

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The Spaniard's form has seen him keep six clean sheets in his last seven Premier League game - only conceding in the 1-0 defeat to Wigan - and he paid tribute to the contribution United's supporters have made to his improved performances.

"It is always a positive when the fans are behind you. It is something I can sense when I am out there on the field," he told the club's official website.

"It always helps you feel more relaxed and it is a source of extra motivation when you know the fans are right behind you and rooting for you.

"But all that aside, it is just a case of getting your head down, keep working hard and making sure you do have a continuous improvement all the time."

A fantastic save from a Juan Mata free kick earned United a hard-earned point in their 3-3 draw with Chelsea in February, and the goalkeeper has picked out that moment as a turning point in the season - both personally and for the club.

"When you look back over a season there are lots of defining moments and key goals," he said.

"But, I suppose, from a team point of view, and particularly from a personal point of view, the fact the save was right in the last minute was decisive.

"Possibly it gave me a huge confidence boost as well. From a personal perspective that was important."

Now with the belief that he can cope with the new demands of a different style of football, De Gea has revealed that he is trying to gain more weight to enhance his presence.

"Football-wise there are not too many differences. The style is not too dissimilar although it is maybe slightly more aggressive in this country," the Spaniard revealed.

"People are aware I have been trying to gain a little bit of weight in terms of muscle, maybe an odd kilo to bulk up a little bit. But the concentration levels are the same.

"You can't let your concentration levels drop for a second. So football-wise it is not so different."