Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher credits his new reputation to a dedicated weights programme.

Chelsea will discover tomorrow the Scottish star has undergone extra gym work to beef himself up for the hurly-burly life of the Premier League.

Fletcher told Inside United magazine: "Doing weights is a big thing for me now, whereas before it didn't seem to have much effect.

"It's small percentages of improvement that help you become a better athlete and player. Fitness has never been a problem for me, but in terms of strength and power my gym work has made a real difference.

"Striking the right balance is important, too. There'd be no point in me bulking up if that was to the detriment of being able to get around the pitch.

"I wanted to get to a level where I had strength, but also the stamina to keep going over the 90 minutes. I think I could still put on more weight without affecting my fitness."