Van Gaal: Very important win at the moment

Ander Herrera has hinted why he was dropped from the Manchester United line-up for so long this season, admitting that he was criticised by manager Louis van Gaal for defying tactical instructions.

Herrera has since worked his way back into the team and, in an interview with El Pais, offered plenty of insight into Van Gaal's expectations, the differences between the Dutch coach and his former Athletic Bilbao manager Marcelo Bielsa, and what life is like in the Manchester United dressing room.

Herrera stated that Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick are the leaders but, whereas the latter is quiet, Rooney jokingly insults the Spanish-speaking players in their own language to foster an atmosphere. Herrera also revealed he was "surprised" to be involved in the Real Zaragoza bribery case.

Asked about his relationship with Van Gaal, the midfielder said he "maintains a distance."

Herrera said: "He seems a good guy, with a personality that maybe causes clashes in the first meetings, but good behind it all. He likes discipline and doesn't believe in the egos of the dressing-room, that all are the same under his management. With me, he spoke of what he wanted of me.

"He loves possession and doesn't like to risk the ball. He likes long spells of possession and to keep the ball because he believes space will be created by keeping to positional play because the team has the quality to find you. He got angry with me at the start because I went to look for the ball, because I always wanted to have it. I should have waited.

"In attack, [he is the opposite of Bielsa] because Van Gaal believes in greater numbers out wide, in triangles, and to not run with the ball. Bielsa liked to have the ball to attack. But he believes in the movement of the player, in getting behind the lines and breaking space. We know Bielsa's perfect goal was one full-back crossing for the other full-back to arrive. He likes to arrive with six or seven. But come on, both are football maestros."

Herrera also revealed Carrick and Rooney are the main authorities in the United dressing room.

"I think there is a lot of respect for Rooney and Carrick for the years they've spent at the club ... but I think that, like [David] De Gea tells me, before it was more hierarchical with figures like [Rio] Ferdinand, [Paul] Scholes, [Ryan] Giggs ...

"Rooney is good fun because he's very open and insults us in Spanish, but I prefer to talk football with him because he likes boxing a lot and he can try it on me! Carrick is very serious but he proves another Bielsa phrase: 'Leaders don't need to talk much, but they're listened to when they do speak.

"Ashley Young is the joker, but I think the Spanish speakers have more of a sense of humour. Maybe it's because we always go together, and the English try to be alone more. [Angel] Di Maria never stops, [Radamel] Falcao and [Antonio] Valencia are very open."

Herrera also thinks playing in England is more beneficial to a career, because it is more "patient" than Spain.

"The Premier League is the best place to succeed because people are patient. In Spain, there's more commotion around you from the press or fans.

"Bielsa used to tell me patience is shorter every time because fear of losing or failure prevails. In England, it's the opposite."

Herrera was also asked about the match-fixing case involving a match between Real Zaragoza and Levante in 2010, at which he will have to speak on 10 June.

"I'm still surprised because I thought I played a normal game, but I will help in whatever they ask of me."

This article originally appeared on ESPN FC

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