Manchester United defender Rafael surprised by his progress at Old Trafford

Manchester United defender Rafael says he has been surprised by the number of appearances he has made for the Old Trafford club this season.

Targets

He added: "I've waited a long time for this - getting to this point hasn't happened overnight. "I've been at this club for five years and that's a long time. "At first, the goal was to just play one game for Manchester United. Then, when you achieve that, you set other targets. "Now I want to play every game and become a regular in the team." Rafael feels becoming a father has helped him progress on the pitch and also believes he has benefited from his twin brother Fabio leaving Old Trafford for QPR on a season-long loan. "I think splitting from Fabio has been a good experience," said Rafael. "At first I was sad, but I've come to see that it's made me grow up a lot. I've had to change and be more responsible." Don't miss any live and exclusive football coverage this festive season. Click here to visit Sky Sports' Festive Calendar