"Everybody knows the story of me and Manchester United was not successful and I'm just happy that I'm the player I am today," said the Netherlands international, ahead of Wednesday's trip to the Etihad.
"I can look back and say I didn't want it to go like that - nobody wanted that - things happened and I became a much better player. I can feel it in the games, I mean everybody can see it I think as well.
"After one season, I couldn't find myself in the team. I was still young, didn't get a lot of opportunities, but I must say that the first season I didn't put the quality on the table that I thought."
"I believe for sure that the city is still Red and tomorrow I'll be trying to get a good result against the Blues."