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Cleverley set to inject fresh energy into Utd's title bid

After a promising start, Tom Cleverley has endured a frustrating season © Getty Images

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Tom Cleverley is ready to play a major role in the title run-in for Manchester United, the midfielder insisting he is now completely over his injury hell.

Cleverley, 22, enjoyed an excellent start to the season, before injuring a foot at Bolton in September. More woe was to follow as, only two games into his comeback, he injured an ankle at Everton that put him on the sidelines for a further three-and-a-half months.

The English youngster's bad luck continued when he picked up another foot problem against Ajax in the Europa League - ruling him out for another fortnight.

However, the 22-year-old has finally put his injuries behind him and returned to fitness, and he is keen to help his club claim a 20th league title.

"It has been a bit stop-start," he told MUTV. "I don't want to get the tag of being injury prone, I have just been a bit unlucky. The knock I got against Ajax was just something else compared to what I have been out for the rest of the season with. Now I am fully ready."

United are currently two points clear of rivals Manchester City at the top of the table and, as the campaign reaches its climax, Cleverley is glad to have the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in the squad - players that have the experience of pulling through a tense run-in.

"It does help that others have done it all before," he said. "It gives young players confidence when you have guys who have 15 or 20 years' experience playing next to you. The mix of youth, hunger and enthusiasm for your first and second medal, with the experience of 10, 11, 12 is just right."

In Cleverley's absence, Scholes has stood out for United in the engine room since performing a retirement U-turn, and his younger team-mate is relishing the opportunity to work with one of the finest midfielders of a generation.

"I can learn a lot from Paul," Cleverley said. "He has been the best midfielder in the country for the last 15 years. Like Xavi with Barcelona at the minute, so Paul is to us. He is a great player and gives me good competition for a place in the side."

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