Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj hits the weights

Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj has revealed he is pumping iron in the gym in a bid to toughen himself up.

Januzaj has struggled to make Louis van Gaal's starting line-up this season and has been heavily criticised for going over too easily - the young winger was booked for the fifth time in his career for diving against Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-final defeat on Monday night.

The 20-year-old has started just seven Barclays Premier League games under the Dutchman and has decided to beef up in order to gain more playing time.

I am trying to be faster and stronger so I can be tougher when I go out on the pitch

The Belgian is hoping to emulate United legend Cristiano Ronaldo who arrived from Sporting Lisbon as a skinny teenager in August 2003 but spent hours on the weights at United's Carrington training complex in order to turn himself into a supreme athlete.

Januzaj also revealed he prefers to operate as a number 10, but Van Gaal looks set to continue playing him on the wing now that Angel Di Maria is banned for Sunday's game against Tottenham at Old Trafford.

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He told United's website: "I do a lot of work in the gym. I am trying to be faster and stronger so I can be tougher when I go out on the pitch. 

"I am doing a lot of short, sharp stuff so, when I turn a defender or go past a player, I can just get a few metres away from them with my acceleration."

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