Ander Herrera wants the “emotional” derby comeback to be a platform for constructing a more powerful Manchester United next season. The midfielder says the players’ pride and feelings of guilt for the fans were the key factors in transforming a 2-0 first-half drubbing by Manchester City into a thrilling, sensational and unforgettable 3-2 win at the Etihad Stadium. “This is one of the best, one of the most emotional games so far in my career with Manchester United,” he declared in a post-match interview.
Herrera revealed there was no emergency blueprint put in place at the interval to rescue the dire-looking situation as United planned to avoid a derby-day embarrassment. It was simply about self-esteem and honour. “We didn’t talk too much about tactics at half-time,” said Ander. “We just talked about our pride, about the club, and how you can never underestimate United. “We knew that our fans were going to have a difficult night if we lost. So we did it for them and of course for us and our position, but overall for them. “It was an important game for our fans. I was feeling sorry for them because it was going to be a difficult day for all of them. But this is Manchester United and nobody should ever underestimate it. “Everyone was talking at half-time. Of course, the oldest guys with the most experience – Ash (Young) and Michael (Carrick), who was also in the dressing room – they have power in their words but everyone was talking.”
The Etihad triumph cemented United’s hold on second place in the Premier League but Herrera feels it was also an early marker for the 2018/19 campaign. “It was very important for our position in the league. We want to finish second and build a stronger Manchester United for next season. That’s all,” said Herrera. “Normally we should be fighting for the title with this amount of points. We want to finish as well as we possibly can this season. “All the people in the newspapers, the journalists, have been talking about what this result means for the rivalry, the derby, our opponents. But we just think about Manchester United. That’s it, we don’t think about the others.”
