Brandon Williams is determined to kick on and help boyhood club Manchester United to silverware, continuing a breakneck rise that has yet to sink in.
Given the 19-year-old did not even make Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad for the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, few could have foreseen the left-back so quickly becoming such a key part of the first team.
Williams made his debut against Rochdale in the Carabao Cup at the end of September and has not looked back, clocking up his 22nd appearance of a whirlwind campaign as United drew 1-1 at Club Brugge in the Europa League on Thursday.
The teenager, who signed improved terms until 2022 shortly after his breakthrough, has been tipped for big things at Old Trafford, where the hierarchy have been so impressed that plans to sign a new left-back have been put on the backburner.
Williams said: "I think it's just come so quickly that I haven't had time to think about what I've achieved at the minute. I'm just keeping going, wanting to play as many games as I can.
"I think if you think about it too much then it might affect your game.
"But you just want to focus on getting your spot in the team and just playing as many games as you can."
Academy graduate Williams has thrived under the pressure brought by playing for his hometown club, although he has noticed an increase in attention around the city and beyond.
The 19-year-old is not fazed by that, though, and is determined to bring success back to United.
"Just keep on improving myself but trying to win something at this club because I've dreamed of it since I was a young kid.
"We're a young team, we know what we're capable of and we're just ready for the (rest of the) season after the winter break and to just try and get into that top four."
United are still in contention for FA Cup and Europa League glory as well as a top-four finish following Monday's 2-0 win at rivals Chelsea.
Williams played as wing-back at Stamford Bridge as fellow left-back Luke Shaw played on the side of a three-man defence, with the pair working together again in Bruges.
"We don't really think about it too much," he said of the competition ahead of Sunday's clash with Watford.
"We just know there's a challenge there and we both push each other to make ourselves the best possible players as we can.
"We've been playing with each other a few times now so we're getting that good connection.
"I think we're both attacking-minded as well, so when Luke has a chance, he gets around me and he's also a top defender and I help him out in situations."
A five-man backline has worked well for Solskjaer, whose trust in youth is paying dividends with Williams.
"Ole is always there for me," the England Under-20 international said. "He's always telling me what I need to improve on, not letting me go in after training to work on things that I need to improve on.
"He's always there when I need an arm around the shoulder or when I need the praise and also when I need to be told something that I need to work on."
Williams' clear determination to progress at his boyhood club means he will leave no stone unturned - even if that means giving up sausage and egg on toast, which his mum Lisa, who runs a cafe, recently joked he enjoyed.
"Nah, I think that was a long time ago, to be honest!" he said with a smile. "I used to go there. I always help my mum out. She's always proud of me and she's always watching every game.
"It's an honour (to play for United). It's making my family proud and everyone around the area is proud of me."
Watford boss Nigel Pearson, meanwhile, is not dwelling on missed opportunities despite seeing his side throw away eight points in their last three matches.
The Hornets were leading Aston Villa and 2-0 up against Everton but came away with nothing, while Adrian Mariappa's late own-goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for Brighton last time out.
The picture could have looked very different ahead of Sunday's trip to United, but instead Watford are still in the relegation zone and a point from safety.
However, Pearson said: "I tend to take a slightly different view in that when we are in good positions in games, and when we come out the other side with a positive result I still reflect on moments when we had good fortune as well.
"I'm not somebody who overly looks at our situation when we have given away points with late goals. I'm realistic.
"The one that was very frustrating was the Everton one. The Villa situation was very lucky and the Brighton own-goal is something that happens.
"I'm not going to get myself in a situation where the mindset changes about how I see in general what the players have brought to the field. I know we get honest performances."
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FuturLab%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESquare%20Enix%20Collective%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENintendo%20Switch%2C%3Cstrong%3E%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPlayStation%204%20%26amp%3B%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20PC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
