Danny backs Cleverley

08/11/2011 16:07, Report by A Marshall & S Bartram

Danny Welbeck believes his United pal Tom Cleverley can mature into a world-class talent.

The two team-mates are friends off the pitch and have combined to good effect this term, with the midfielder's inch-perfect cross allowing Welbeck to head the Reds' opening goal of the campaign against Spurs in August.

Cleverley's midfield probing has been missed after two spells on the sidelines for the former Wigan loanee but United's No19 feels he will continue to make rapid progress on his return to action.

"I think he can become a world-class player," insisted Welbeck in an exclusive interview with United Review, the club's official programme. "Football is such a simple game, it's how hard you make it for yourself. Tom keeps it so simple and it is hard to do that when you're in centre-midfield, but Tom does that. He gets the ball, passes it, moves into space and he's just always there as an extra option every time you’ve got the ball.

"He's really good to play with, I enjoy playing with him so much and he's got the awareness, the vision and the ability to pick out a pass and actually produce a final pass as well and he's just going to carry on improving. You can see that every single day in training. He's a really good player."

It's little wonder the pair's combination looks so natural considering their upbringing through the ranks at Carrington.

"We are really good friends off the field and quite a few people come up to us and tell us that it shows on the field," added Welbeck.
"We've been through the same training schedule growing up through the Academy, the same coaches who have taught us the same things, so we're on the same wavelength and we know each other's games inside out, more or less.
"We just try to get the ball moving as quick as possible, keep it one-touch and two-touch and I think that's the right way to break down teams."

source : manutd