Andreas Pereira
Andreas Pereira scored his first goal for the first-team with a free-kick in the 3-0 win over Ipswich Town earlier in the season Getty Images

Manchester United starlet Andreas Pereira has sent a message of intent to manager Louis van Gaal ahead of the upcoming FA Cup game against Sheffield United on Saturday (9 January), scoring two goals during the Under-21 side's victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 4 January.

The 20-year-old has failed to win a regular berth in the first team during the opening stretch of the season, but feels his impressive performance with Warren Joyce's men has shown the Dutch boss he deserves a shot in the cup clash with the Blades.

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"I think I need some match rhythm so it's good to play with the Under-21s," Pereira told MUTV. "It's a good level so it's useful to play here tonight and hopefully I can get more minutes.

"The level of the first team is a bit higher, of course, but both are high intensity so it's good to play here. Hopefully, I can show the manager my sharpness and goals that I can maybe play on Saturday. 2015 was a very big year for me but I am hoping 2016 can be a good one as well."

The Brazilian youngster has been tipped as one of the next to blow at Old Trafford since his move to their academy in 2011. However, and despite Van Gaal's much trumpeted faith in the youth system, he has had few chances to show his worth this season. His only two starts have come in the Capital One Cup games against Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough.

Pereira impressed against the Tractor Boys, scoring his first professional goal with a sensational free-kick. However, he has not replicated that form since, making three appearances from the subs bench in the Premier League against Watford, Bournemouth and Stoke City.