Depay Still Adjusting to England’s Physicality

REUTERS – Manchester United’s Dutch forward Memphis Depay had admitted he is still adjusting to the physical demands of the Premier League after moving to England this year.

The former PSV Eindhoven winger has failed to light up English football after finding the back of the net just once in eight league appearance.

The Netherlands international has, however, been impressive in the Champions League, scoring three goals in four appearances in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

“There are a lot of games in Manchester. There are very few rest days and on training days you are mainly concerned with recovering,” the 21-year-old Dutchman told De Telegraaf ahead of the Netherlands’ European Championship qualifier against Kazakhstan on Saturday.

“It’s heavy, two games a week, always at a high level, and my body has to get used to that,” he added.

Depay is still confident making the switch to Manchester was the right move for him.

“I try to manage my career in steps, and I am still in the middle. I think this was the right step and I am happy in Manchester … I’m still developing,” Depay said.

United, who sit third in the table, will be hoping Depay will start firing on all cylinders when they travel to face Everton on Oct. 17 at Goodison Park, a ground where they have lost on their last three visits.

(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)