Manchester, June 21 (IANS) Manchester United midfielder Toby Collyer believes he is in a good place physically and ready to embrace the challenges that will come in 2025/26.

The 21-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Manchester United, after making his senior debut in the Community Shield against Manchester City at Wembley.

In total, he made 13 appearances in all competitions but his last involvement came in the mid-March win at Leicester City, even if he did feature in the post-season tour of Asia.

This was due to injury but Collyer feels he has learned from a spell on the sidelines and is taking that knowledge into what promises to be a demanding close season training under head coach Ruben Amorim.

“I think, nowadays, especially with the double gameweeks (we had). Even, sometimes, you have three games in just over a week. So you need to be doing the right things off the pitch, to make sure that, when you’re on it, you can give 100 per cent.

“There is nothing like the Premier League. The demands it puts on your body, going from the Under-21s, is a big step. But I feel like I’ve adapted well and I think that is the main thing as I’ve had a few injuries this year. But I think it’s an opportunity for me to learn how my body works. What I can do and what I can’t do. What things work for me.

“Obviously, nobody wants to be injured but you can see the positives in it. You can always analyse things and see how this happened, like what can you do to prevent it and you learn stuff about your body. So, now, going into next season, I know 100 per cent what I need to do,” said Collyer to United’s media team.

Collyer says he is feeling strong, as he looks to force his way into Amorim’s plans for the season ahead, with the pre-season opener against Leeds United, in Stockholm, already under a month away.

“It’s more of a mental challenge, I’d say,” he said about his stint on the sidelines. Especially at the start, when you’re not allowed to do many things and maybe not be on the pitch. But it’s about getting through it and showing that resilience because, obviously, you have to show the resilience on the pitch.

“If you can’t show it in the physio room, you’ve got no chance on the pitch, have you?”

–IANS

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