Ander Herrera Will Have to Fight for His Place at Manchester United
The Louis van Gaal era at Manchester United began with a bang. Starting their pre-season tour in Pasadena, California, in July, they hammered LA Galaxy 7-0 in the Rose Bowl.
United fans have seen enough warm-up games to know not to read too much into it. However, there was reason to be optimistic about Ander Herrera, the new ยฃ28 million signing from Athletic Bilbao.
Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young and Reece James all scored twice. But for those supporters who stayed up to watch the game on MUTV, the sight of Herrera snapping into challenges and bouncing passes around was most welcome.
A threadbare midfield was a problem that dogged Sir Alex Ferguson's last years in charge. David Moyes' attempt to remedy the situation with Marouane Fellaini looked to have failed.
In Herrera, United looked like they might have found a genuine heir to Paul Scholesโeven if it was based on one pre-season game against LA Galaxy's reserves.
On Tuesday night, almost exactly four months after his impressive debut in the United States, Herrera was lining up for United's reserves against Blackburn in the quarter-final of the Lancashire Senior Cup at Leigh Sports Village.
He hasn't played for the first team since October 20, when he was hooked at half-time with United 1-0 down at West Brom. The 25-year-old was replaced with Fellaini at the Hawthorns. The Belgian midfielder used his 45 minutes in the Midlands to start proving he might be a United player after all.
Fellaini hasn't missed a minute since scoring in the 2-2 draw against West Brom. And it's no coincidence that Herrera has been forced to watch it all from the bench.
Herrera would seem to be a better fit for Van Gaal as a cultured, technically gifted, aggressive midfielder who has has already scored two Premier League goals.
Fellaini is more limited, but he offers a physical presence that United seem to need at the moment. They're not yet good enough to pass teams off the pitch. Fellaini, 6'4" and awkward to play against, offers a different threat. A threat that created enough confusion in Arsenal's defence for United to score their first at the Emirates last weekend.
Herrera has been unlucky with injuries, picking up ankle and rib problems already this season. But almost one-third of the way through the season, he's found himself having to play his way back into Van Gaal's plans.
You wouldn't have thought that as he strolled around, pulling the strings on that balmy summer evening in California.
Despite spending nearly ยฃ30 million on the Spaniard in the summer, Van Gaal will feel under no pressure to pick him. Meanwhile, Fellaini and Michael Carrick will expect to keep their places this weekend after playing their part in the win at Arsenal.
United haven't had competition for places in midfield for a long time, and Van Gaal won't mind it at all. That will be of little comfort to Herrera when the Dutchman reads out his team to play Hull on Saturday.
