Saha: I Always Want to Play

Manchester United striker Louis Saha has reiterated that he has never refused to play for the club.

Saha has started just two games in the Premier League this season, having been hampered by a knee injury. It has previously been claimed that the France international has declined to play for United due to a mental block regarding his fitness.

But, explaining his injury troubles, Saha insists that he has always been willing to turn out for the champions when fit.

"At United, I have had an incredible amount of bad luck," said Saha in the Daily Mail. "But that does not explain everything. Playing all the time takes its toll on the body. My game is based on speed, quick movements and changes of direction. It's very demanding for the body.

"For a long time, I had an injury on my left knee. I changed the way I ran and I injured my right knee. But I never refused to play. Everytime I missed a game I was not able to play. For sure, before playing again, I was a bit anxious. Every player feels that. But it did not go further than that.

"People are ill-informed. I had six pieces of cartilage in my knee. Can you say this is psychological?

"Sometimes I would take part in training during the week and feel good and then drop out at the weekend. But you can explain that easily. My knee could support short training exercises, but not the intensity of a game. Should I have played without being 100 per cent fit? That would have been ridiculous."