Ander Herrera says Manchester United are immediately focusing on Sunday’s trip to Swansea City after reaching the Champions League group phase by knocking out Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Louis van Gaal’s side beat the Belgian club 4-0 to win the play-off 7-1 on aggregate. Herrera, who scored United’s fourth goal after Wayne Rooney’s 36-minute hat-trick, said: “We have finished our job from last season and we are very happy with our job. It was a great night for Wayne and for me. He is our captain and leader and we are happy for him.
“When he scores everything is always easier for us. But it’s not just that, we are always helping each other. It’s not just about ourselves. It was very important for me, a midfielder, to score, but that was not the most important thing. The most important thing was to help the team.”
After winning home and away against Brugge, United now face a team who beat them at Old Trafford and at the Liberty Stadium last season. Herrera said: “Sunday will be different, of course. Last season we lost six points against them. We have to be ready to play against a very good team. We are on the right road. We are not giving too many chances away. We are playing near the goal of the opponents and that is what we have to do.”
United will find out on Thursday who they will face in their Champions League group. “We can enjoy the draw now and take Manchester United where they deserve to be,” said Herrera, who made his first start of the season in Belgium. “I prefer to play and participate in the team. It doesn’t matter where I play. I will play where the manager chooses and will always help the team. I hope this game can help with our confidence. We are more confident now.”
Herrera would not be drawn regarding whether he would retain his place. “I can’t say anything about it. All I can say is that I will be ready to play when the manager wants me to play,” said the Spaniard. “It’s not about me. I try to help my team-mates, try to offer myself when my team-mates have the ball. Time will tell if this will be a big night for me. If the manager wants me to play I will play and if the manager wants me to wait for my moment then I will wait.
“This is the way I will approach things. I think about the team. This was an important game. It’s much more difficult when you have not been playing, but as the game went on I felt really good. I don’t think we gave chances away and I think we controlled the game and then killed the game.”
Herrera began in central midfield and was pushed up to the No10 position when Bastian Schweinsteiger replaced Adnan Januzaj at the interval. “If I have to play holding midfielder, I will do,” he said. “Last season, I played more as a holding midfielder than as a No10, but if I have to play as a No10, then I want to help my team by scoring and assisting. Against an attacking opponent, maybe it is better to play as a No10. But if it is a team waiting for you, maybe best as a holding midfielder, but I always say the same – I will play where the manager wants me to play.”
Herrera is cautious about United’s chances in the Champions League. “It is too early [to say],” the 26-year-old said. “We have to go step by step but, of course, we are representing one of the biggest clubs in the world. The history of the club says we have to fight for all the trophies.”
