Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea believes he has enjoyed the best season of his career and hopes that winning the FA Cup could be a springboard to "great things" for his club.
The Spain international stayed at United after a deadline day move to Real Madrid fell through last summer and he has gone on to win the club's Player of the Year award during a troubled campaign at Old Trafford.
It is the third year in succession that the goalkeeper has won the prize, but he rates this campaign above the rest on a personal level.
Thanks for you unconditional support always! #MUFC #TheatreOfDreams pic.twitter.com/uNgDcF15sz
- David De Gea (@D_DeGea) May 17, 2016
"It's been the best season of my career," De Gea said. "I'm in great shape, physically and mentally. I'm very focused.
"If we win the FA Cup, it will be a good season. We've had a couple of difficult seasons, so we are really determined to win the cup. And winning it could provide us with that extra belief and motivation to hopefully go on and achieve great things."
United have not won a trophy since they became champions in 2013, with De Gea having been a part of that title-winning team. The following year they finished seventh under David Moyes, then fourth in 2015 under Louis van Gaal, but his season has been a backward step, as United ended in fifth position.
"In the Premier League, all teams can slip up against all kinds of opposition," De Gea said. "It's a very tough league, but it's true we have lost games that we shouldn't have, against teams that on paper we should have been beating.
"But then we have won plenty of the very difficult games, too, and in that sense it has been a strange season."