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Manchester United's very own Spanish Armada have set the club on course for an epic finish to the season and immediate return to the Champions League.

David De Gea, Ander Herrera and Juan Mata form the Spanish axis that has seen United reel off five straight Premier League wins and go into Sunday’s Manchester derby as favourites, a status they have not enjoyed for some time.

Underpinned by De Gea’s heroics in goal, Herrera and Mata have emerged as the goalscoring midfielders whom Louis van Gaal now dare not leave out, after making the pair wait for a sustained run in United’s starting line-up.

(Image: Clive Mason)

Herrera, in particular, has become the free-scoring, box-to-box midfielder United have been searching for since Paul Scholes finally called time on his illustrious playing career - for a second time - two years ago.

Technically gifted, quick, with an attacking mindset and the ability to sniff out a goal, Herrera, a £28.8million buy from Athletic Bilbao last summer, has cemented his status as an automatic pick after a tough first season at United.

Hauled off at half-time on only his fifth Premier League start at West Brom in October, Herrera started just one game between October 20 and February 21, with his United future looking bleak.

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But since starting and scoring in United’s 2-1 defeat at Swansea on February 21, the 25-year-old has missed just seven minutes of Premier League football.

Two further goals in a man-of-the-match display against Aston Villa on Saturday took his season’s tally to seven and showed why Herrera is such a key man for United.

He comes across as the ultimate team player, not one to spit his dummy out when he is not picked, with the ability to see the bigger picture beyond his own interests.

In pictures - Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa:

“I’m very happy,” said Herrera. “Even when I wasn’t playing I was also happy. I’m at Manchester United. I feel really lucky to be here.

“The manager has to decide who is playing or not, but we have to respect always the decision he makes. The manager wants the best for the team, the best for us and we have to follow him always.

“It’s my dream to be here for a long time because I am in the right team, in the right league and in the right country. I feel very happy and want to stay at the club for many years.

“I feel I adapted quickly to this league and this country because I’m so comfortable here.

Ander Herrera Manchester United record (2014/15) 26 Games 7 Goals Stats accurate as of 13 April

“When one team changes a lot of players, like we did this season, it’s not always easy to find the exact shape at the exact moment.

“But everyone is happy and I think we are on the right road. But we have to be prudent because it’s still going to be very hard until the end of the season.”

Mata believes the instinctive understanding between him and compatriot Herrera has been a key factor in United’s recent run, which has taken them up to third spot.

“I think it’s because of the relationship we’ve had over the years and because we understand football and life in more or less the same way,” said Mata.

“I think we play well together because we understand each other and sometimes without speaking or looking we know where we’re going to pass or where we’re going to move on the pitch.”

(Image: Matthew Peters)

“The first goal at Anfield is a good example of that - he controlled the ball, turned and knew where I was already running to and he put the ball there.

“Ander is a quality player and I’m very happy he’s here and playing and performing well.”

Former United skipper Gary Neville, now an analyst for Sky, said: “Herrera is starting to play well and is looking confident after he had been out of the team so much.

“Herrera’s confidence is huge now. He looks like the player they signed. I think he probably roamed around the pitch a little bit too much for Louis van Gaal.

“He [Van Gaal] likes players to play in their positions in midfield and stick to the job and the principles of what he wants. Now, Herrera has started to do that.”