Ander Herrera has been one of Manchester United’s best players this season, but he’s not one to pay a lot of attention to the praise. The Spanish midfielder is not one to rest on his laurels and ease his focus.
“When everyone is saying you’re having a great season I don’t think it is good so I don’t listen,” he told the club’s official game day program United Review. Ander Herrera also said the run in to the end of the Premier League season, plus whatever happens here in the UEFA Europa League will be “the most important time” of his career.
“There are still eight Premier League games and hopefully four more Europa League games. Nobody will remember this part of the season if I don’t perform well at the end. I am happy but I am not finished yet,” Herrera said via the club’s official website.
“The next month and a half is the most important time of my career. That is the way I think and that is the way I see football. Also, when everyone is telling you you’re having a great season, you’re having a very good game, you’re playing very well, I don’t think it is good for yourself so I don’t listen too much,” he continued.
“I want to be focused on what is coming and that is very important. I want to play in the Champions League next season.”
United are currently six points behind Liverpool for third place, but have two games in hand on their arch-rivals.
They have one game in hand on third place and cross town rival Manchester City, who they trail by four points. They need all hands on deck and all guns blazing for their final seven league fixtures in 2016-17 to finish in the top four.
If they fall short and finish fifth or lower, they still have another route back into the Champions League. United will host Belgian side Anderlecht in the Europa League round of 8 on Thursday night. The Red Devils enter the home leg at 1-1, coming off a draw from the away leg.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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