Cleverley: 'happy to get away from some of the negativity...at Man United'

Aston Villa midfielder Tom Cleverley revealed his pleasure to move away from Manchester United at the conclusion of the transfer window, suggesting he's relieved to escape the criticism he faced towards the end of his tenure with The Red Devils.

"I am happy to get away from some of the negativity that surrounded me at Man United," Cleverley said, via The Daily Mail. "I want to get Aston Villa back up in the top half where this club belong. My first target is getting in the Villa team, second is playing well and third is hopefully getting back in the England squad."

Cleverley was the victim of abuse from fans on social media during his struggles last season, and admits that most players face similar criticism at United because of the high expectations at the club.

"You don’t turn into a bad player just because someone says it on Twitter. I probably wasn’t the only United player to get it last year," he said. "For as long as Man United aren’t winning trophies, players will get criticised. I’m fully aware of that. I’ve still got a league title, 13 England caps.

"If all the players say they were high in confidence last season I think they would be lying. It wasn’t just me. It was the rest of the squad too."

The 25-year-old was loaned to Villa for the remainder of the season, and judging by his comments, a scenario where he returns to Manchester doesn't seem like a possibility following the expiration of the loan deal.

Cleverley is expected to make his debut Saturday when Aston Villa face Liverpool at Anfield.