Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
Analysing Ander Herrera’s excellent midfield display for Manchester United in the EFL Cup final
Manchester United managed to win the EFL Cup on Sunday, despite a somewhat underwhelming performance. Southampton were the better side, but United managed the game well and got a late goal to win the trophy. Jose Mourinho is a born winner and he is starting to implement a winning mentality at the club, something that they have lacked since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. They are now the holders of both domestic cup competitions, but the Manchester United boss won’t be satisfied and he will push his players to achieve further success in the near future.
Ander Herrera has been one of the stars for United this season and he delivered another impressive display this afternoon. Although Southampton did well in midfield areas, the Spanish international was the standout player in the middle of the park. He ran tirelessly for his side and implemented the press well. Saints didn’t manage to get any joy through the centre and had to focus their attacks down the wings. The 27-year-old played alongside Paul Pogba in midfield, which meant that he was the one that had to sit deep and protect the back four until Michael Carrick was brought on at half-time. This gave him license to get further forward and he played his part in United’s winning goal.
The Spaniard was excellent on the ball and rarely gave the ball away. He ended the match with an 84% pass accuracy, which was higher than the rest of the front six that started the game for United. Herrera is a great player to have in midfield as he retains possession well and is positive with his passing. He completed two key passes during the match, in addition to getting the assist for the winner. United’s number 21 found himself in some space on the left wing, before picking an inch-perfect cross to give Zlatan Ibrahimovic the simple task of heading home.
Since arriving in England, Herrera has become a lot better physically and he competed well in the air at Wembley. He won four of his six aerial duels and that is impressive for a central midfielder, especially one that isn’t the tallest. In addition to his aerial presence, the Spaniard always looked to step forwards with the ball and had the confidence to carry the ball. During the match, he completed both of his attempted dribbles, beating three opposition players in total. That dynamism adds something a little bit extra to his game and makes him a complete midfielder.
Although his creativity played a large part in the winning goal, it is his ball-winning ability that makes him integral to this Manchester United team. Herrera won seven tackles during the match, which was more than any other player on the pitch. His tenacity has impressed Jose Mourinho since the summer and he is now the primary ball winning midfielder at the club. The 27-year-old meshes well with Paul Pogba and the two are developing an excellent partnership in the middle of the park for United.
It will be Jose Mourinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic that take the headlines over the next few days, but Ander Herrera shouldn’t be overlooked. He continued to work hard and win the ball back when Southampton were the dominant force. There are few players in the Premier League that match the Spaniard’s consistency. He rarely has a bad game and has upped his performance level since last season. Over the last few years, he has been a peripheral figure at Old Trafford, but he is now one of the key players. Manchester United should be set for another successful period under Mourinho and Herrera will play a major part in it.
Featured image: All rights reserved by