There's Reason to Believe Ander Herrera Will Be a Success at Manchester United

Ander Herrera isn't short of ability or confidence. He needed both to smash that audacious volley past Jed Steer to give Manchester United the lead against Yeovil on Sunday.

But, unfortunately for the Spanish midfielder, his United career hasn't gone as smoothly as his finish at Huish Park. 

His start on Sunday was just his seventh of the season. He would have hoped to cement his place as a first-term regular by now when he sealed his £28 million move from Athletic Bilbao in the summer.

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He would have certainly had more games under his belt had he not picked up a string of injuries in his first six months at Old Trafford. But fit again and, judging by his spectacular goal against Yeovil, in form, the issue is now where Louis van Gaal sees the 25-year-old fitting in.

Michael Carrick is the only one of the Dutchman's midfielders who is guaranteed a place in the team. Daley Blind was a regular before his knee injury but will find more competition when he returns.

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Juan Mata and Marouane Felllaini have both had spells out of the team this season while Van Gaal has used Wayne Rooney in midfield for the last five games to allow him to pair Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao up front.

Darren Fletcher will only play a supporting role for the rest of his time at United. It's a star-studded squad and not everyone can play every week.

Herrera, though, has shown enough already to suggest he should succeed at United. From his impressive debut against LA Galaxy in July to his goal on Sunday, he's already won over most of the fans.

Technically excellent and able to tackle and pass with the same quiet assuredness, he can do things that many of United's other midfielders cannot. On top of that, he's already chipped in with three goals this season.

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It seems he's only lacking a role. With Athletic, he played as a deep midfielder and further forward. Under Van Gaal, he's played in a 3-5-2, a diamond and pushed up behind the strikers. He's not looked fazed in any position, but it hasn't helped him settle into any kind of rhythm. Neither has his series of injuries, or being in and out of the team.

It's only natural that it's taken time for Herrera to settle at United. He's finding his feet in a new league, a new country.

But in a flash of his right foot at Huish Park on Sunday, he showed just why there's so much hope among the fans that he'll prove a significant part of Van Gaal's new-look team. The United manager just needs to work out where he fits in.