The Portuguese international is now reaping the benefits of dedication to his craft. Six of his 10 goals this season have come from his left foot - a statistic he is proud of.

He said: "When I was very young I used to go to the local square where we played football and practise alone.

"Sometimes I would spend all afternoon there, practising with my right foot and then with my left foot.

"I'd practice curling the ball, hitting it hard. I always wanted to improve. Now I know that all my hard work has paid off.

"It doesn't matter to me which side I play on because I am confident of beating my opponent on either side and I can cross and shoot with both feet."

Nani has helped United win two titles and is anxious for a third with the club in the driving seat despite the defeat by reigning champions Chelsea.

Next up are Liverpool on Sunday and Nani told manutd.com: "We want to win the league every season. You don't get tired of winning trophies.

"When I went on my holidays last year, the first week I couldn't stop thinking about how we lost out in the league to Chelsea.

"Thankfully there was the World Cup so I had something else to look forward to. This year, there's no World Cup, so I know it could be a very long summer.

"I don't want that to happen. I want to be on holiday with a big smile because I've won at least one trophy."