Tom Cleverley bemoans "nightmare" season

Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley has described his injury-riddled season as a "nightmare", but insists that it has made him stronger.

Cleverley suffered an ankle injury in October that ruled him out for the rest of United's ultimately ill-fated campaign.

However, the 22-year-old is eager to overcome the injury and get fit for the start of next season as the Red Devils look to regain their Premier League crown from local rivals City.

"It has been a nightmare at times but I am only 22 and have around 15 years ahead of me yet. I just hope I have got it all over and done with now. There were times during the season when I thought I was the unluckiest footballer in the world," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"From a great start it became the hardest season of my life but it has made me mentally stronger. I've always had to cope with disappointments in my career. I had two injuries over the years but I got through them.

"This was the hardest yet. If you had said to me after the Everton game in October that I wouldn't start another Premier League game in the season I would have been massively gutted, but that turned out to be the case and it was tough to come to terms with."

Cleverley signed a new contract with United last October that will keep him at the club until 2015.