Winger Nani has described Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as a "complicated man" while also admitting to being on the receiving end of some of his infamous rants.

Expectation on the Portuguese winger has risen this season following the big-money departure of his countryman Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in the summer.

Nani was seen as Ronaldo's natural replacement but has struggled to consistently command a place in United's starting XI having been overlooked by Ferguson for key Premier League fixtures so far this term.

And the 22-year-old has admitted that his patchy form has earned him the ire of the United manager.
"Ferguson is a very complicated man," he told Portuguese newspaper 'I' in an interview published in The Sun.

"He's tough. If things are all right, then they are all right. But when he thinks something is wrong, everything is screwed.

"He can go from complimenting you to just plain trashing you in a matter of minutes. Has it happened to me? Hell, yes. He'll say 'Nani, how could you miss this or this'?

"He shouts at players in front of everyone. No one escapes, everybody is the same. (Ryan) Giggs and (Gary) Neville suffer most, because they have more experience."

Nani has this season had to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench for key league games against Liverpool, Tottenham and derby rivals Manchester City, while he was not included in the match-day squad for the weekend defeat at Chelsea.

And while Nani admits he has not yet lived up to expectations since his £16.5million move from Sporting Lisbon in July 2007, he believes his United career has been undermined by unfulfilled promises.

"People expect more from me and it's not easy. But they are also not doing what they said they were going to," he added.

"I know it would be better if I scored more goals.

"I can have a spectacular game but nobody guarantees me I will be starting the next match. It shatters your confidence.

"I did not play the important matches, against Liverpool, Manchester City or Tottenham.

"Not playing these games, I am a bit sad. But for now I am not considering leaving."