On 65 minutes Ander Herrera intervened with a goal that drew Manchester United level and could yet ignite his Old Trafford career. Until then this appeared to be the night when the 11-times FA Cup-winners might finally pay for the insipid stuff they keep playing under Louis van Gaal.

The manager has felt forced to field Wayne Rooney in midfield to find a balance to an outfit that is sluggish and lacks invention.

When Van Gaal claimed so last week the mind turned to Herrera, a supposed box-to-box operator whose ability to execute quick thoughts and passes seemed precisely what United lack.

As this fifth-round tie moved past the hour United were losing to a Scott Laird bullet that David de Gea might have held and Herrera had been a virtual passenger. There were flashes from the Spaniard of what he can offer but the most memorable moment to this point had been an unwanted vignette that suggested why Van Gaal is yet to be convinced by him. It came as the game neared half-time.

The Spaniard had roved infield to find room in a show of spatial intelligence that opened up Preston North End. As Marouane Fellaini galloped forward along the right he squared the ball to Herrera who, on swivelling, shovelled off a pass without looking that found no one and made him appear a panicked schoolboy footballer rather than a £29m Manchester United player.

Here, the 25-year-old disappointed not only himself but that growing constituency of fans who cannot understand why he is not being given a real chance in the team.

Before kick-off the United support had been treated to a rare sight of Herrera stripped off and ready to start for this closing game of the FA Cup fifth round.

If not quite the eternal reserve his transfer last summer from Athletic Bilbao has been followed by a difficulty in convincing Van Gaal he should be in his best XI.

Before this game there had been only 16 appearances since joining, seven of which were starts. These disappointing numbers were rounded out by his last having been named in a United side five weeks ago – on 4 January – Herrera’s only start in 2015, in the third round of this competition, while the previous occasion he was given the nod in the Premier League was a month before, in a 2-1 win over Stoke City at Old Trafford.

Herrera’s inclusion came after Van Gaal admitted last week that Rooney has been playing in midfield because of the need to strengthen in this department, which the Dutchman stated is the priority when summer comes.

So to see Herrera in the side was a surprise. Yet Van Gaal can be full of them regarding team matters. After the vote of confidence in Rooney as a schemer – which by implication suggested a lack of trust in Herrera – the Dutchman played his captain as a striker, alongside Radamel Falcao, for the first time this calendar year.

Herrera’s big chance to impress came out of position as Van Gaal stuck him on the right of a midfield trident in advance of Daley Blind, the holding player. Inside, where Herrera would have preferred to operate, was stationed Fellaini, who split the latter and Ángel Di María, on the left.

The point Van Gaal was making last week was that as Juan Mata – a replacement here – is a No10 by instinct and Di María first of all a wide man, he has limited options before him who can make United tick when Michael Carrick is injured, as he currently is.

Herrera appears the obvious candidate but requires a consistent chance to prove it. Being plonked out on the wing means making any fair assessment of his ability to fill the role is difficult.

Instead Van Gaal might try harnessing Herrera’s dynamism, range of passing and his willingness to run a contest by playing him centrally.

All these qualities were sighted when, in front of a packed and raucous Deepdale, Herrera drifted inside.

In one fluid move he coasted forward to scatter the Preston defence before zipping a pass into Rooney. A slide-rule ball into Antonio Valencia allowed the right-back to run into space and aim a cross at the captain that concerned the home rearguard.

When Van Gaal moved to try to pull the match from the fire he might have put up Herrera’s No21. Instead Falcao was hooked and on came Ashley Young and from his lay-off Herrera pin-balled his finish off Thorsten Stuckmann’s right post for the equaliser.

While the goals from Fellaini and Rooney secured United’s victory, Herrera’s fourth goal in United livery could be the lifeline to better times for the man from the Basque country.