Darren Fletcher is desperate to stamp his authority on the Manchester United team this season. Although the midfielder was on the bench for Sunday's FA Cup win against Southampton, it is expected Sir Alex Ferguson's selection merely paved the way for his fellow Scot's appearance at Derby County in tomorrow night's Carling Cup semi-final first leg.
Indeed, Fletcher has figured in most of United's important games this term, making 21 starts in all competitions, including the Club World Cup final against Liga de Quito in Japan last month, and the 24-year-old's increasing maturity and ability to dominate midfield exchanges with his hard-working style have helped him win over the doubters who claimed he would never become a United regular.
Not that Fletcher feels the hard work is done. Having come so far since joining the club as a trainee in 2000, the Dalkeith-born player is anxious not to let his standards slip now. "I want to stamp down my place in this team," he says. "But most importantly I want to keep winning things and feel as though I have played a part. Personal praise is nice but United being successful is what matters most and there is always a new challenge."
Although he made the bench for last year's Champions League final win over Chelsea, Fletcher was not among the substitutes to make it on to the pitch in Moscow, and that made him even more determined to force his way into Ferguson's plans this season, bringing an added focus to his training-ground performances that has paid off in fine style.
"I strive every day in training to be a regular in the team," he says. "You want to play in all the games. We have a number of quality midfielders but as long as you are playing well the manager sticks with you. I have gone on to the pitch with the attitude that every game is a fresh challenge, no matter what I did in the last one.
"My attitude is firstly that United win and second I want to keep my place in the team. I know if my standards slip there are any number of top-class midfielders waiting to come in and take my place."
