Ander Herrera noted he was proud to have been given the chance to captain Manchester United during their pre-season tour of the United States.
The Spaniard, who many have wanted to be captain for some time, wore the armband for Man United’s 4-1 defeat to Liverpool in Michigan.
Matteo Darmian and Eric Bailly have also been handed the chance to captain United in wins over AC Milan and Real Madrid respectively.
Speaking after the 2-1 win over the latter, Herrera remarked how walking the team out during pre-season meant a lot to him.
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There’s an inherent goodness to Herrera, isn’t there? Respectful, determined, affable, deeply knowledgeable of what this club means. “When it put on the shirt, I feel the responsibility,” he recently said. Some United players “get it” and others don’t. Herrera certainly gets it.
As a footballer he is limited. Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Fred, Andreas Pereira and even Marouane Fellaini are better technicians, but that doesn’t render the Spaniard useless. That against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley in April, for example, was glaring evidence of his role as United’s clutch player in big games.
Mourinho shouldn’t play him every week. But there will be times next season when picking Herrera is a no brainer.