Lose and we throw away our chances admits Herrera
ANDER HERRERA says this week’s Manchester derby is “make or break”.
Fifth-placed United have closed to within a point of fourth-placed City with six games to go.
But if United lose at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday, midfielder Herrera concedes that, with away games at title-chasing Tottenham and FA Cup finalists Arsenal to come, it will be very difficult to qualify for the Champions League via a top-four finish and leave them relying on the Europa League.
“It’s going to be the game of the season,” said the Spaniard. “If we win, we have the chance to finish in the top four. If they win, it’s going to be very difficult for us.
“Make or break? Probably. Both teams are in a good moment, so if one of us wins we are not going to make mistakes after that or lose a lot of our remaining fixtures.
“It is going to be key. It is going to be massive. We’re on a very good run. We respect them but we are doing a lot of good things and we have to show it on Thursday.”
The ideal scenario for the Spanish international would be for United to finish in the top four and lift the Europa League to make amends for him losing in the 2013 final to Atletico Madrid when he was an Athletic Bilbao player.
Herrera said: “The Europa League excites me because I lost the final three or four years ago and I want to take that knife from my back.
“So hopefully we can fight for that as well, but I know Celta Vigo [United’s semifinal opponents] are very good, very difficult.”
United lost 2-1 to City at Old Trafford last September but stretched an unbeaten league run to 23 games with a win at Burnley on Sunday that Jose Mourinho’s squad dedicated to crocked pair Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo, who have serious knee injuries.
Herrera is backing both to make full recoveries and says that Ibrahimovic keeping himself in such good shape will be a big factor in him making a successful comeback. “Of course he can do it,” said Herrera. “First because he is privileged physically. His physique, his body, is one of the best I have ever seen, so it will be easier for him.
“Of course he is 35 and he will have to work very hard, be very patient. But I have no doubt he will be back because he loves football, he loves to win, he loves to score goals. He loves to train every day. Every day he wants to win, every box, every football tennis, so I have no doubt he will be back.
“And Marcos was in the best moment of his career, really focused. For me, he was one of the best centrebacks in the world at that moment. It was very difficult to beat him – every duel he won, every tackle. He is strong and he has to know he can be back as good as he was. He is my friend and I will try to support him.”
Herrera said United had the strength in depth to cope. Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney came in for Ibrahimovic and scored at Burnley, while Daley Blind covered for Rojo.
“Martial and Rooney were fantastic,” he said. “It was the first game that Anthony had played as a central striker this season. He held the ball up, gave solutions for the team and scored a fantastic goal.
“Daley has not been playing every game and he is not the tallest and he is not the strongest, but he is one of the smartest.”