Tonge told The Sun: “I think it was a blessing in disguise that United didn’t keep me on.
“I look at the players above me who didn’t get anywhere near the first-team and I might have been the same.
“It’s worked out great. In my first full season we played at Anfield and only got beat in extra-time.
“I’ve given myself a better chance to make a name for myself in the first-team here and this club has gone forward so much in the last few years.
“We have to be relatively pleased with the way it has gone this season but there are still 11 games and some big fixtures to come.”
