PASADENA, Calif. – After his club’s impressive 7-0 Chevrolet Cup victory over the LA Galaxy, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal refused to discuss the performance of new signing Ander Herrera, but he was at the tip of the tongue of LA’s players following the match.
The 24-year-old Spaniard was one of only two United players to play the full 90 minutes in the seven goal thrashing and provided two assists as he pulled the strings for the Red Devils throughout. Herrera, who was signed in the offseason from Atletico Bilbao, overwhelmed the Galaxy and assisted twice on United’s final two tallies by Ashley Young late in the second half.
“I thought he was fantastic,” said Galaxy captain Robbie Keane. “I thought he was the best player on the pitch by far.”
Added midfielder Stefan Ishizaki, "“I saw him play in Athletic Bilbao the last couple of years, and I thought he was a really good player. It’s a good signing for Manchester and he is dominating.”
LA head coach Bruce Arena was even more complimentary of the Spaniard who figures to play a major role in United's English Premier League campaign once it starts next month.
“Technically good…he and [Juan] Mata and [Darren] Fletcher I thought were very good in the middle of the field,” said Arena. “I think in the first half that was a big part of them owning the game in the middle third of the field they were terrific, not only with their passing, but winning some tackles, and picking up some second balls I was very impressed with that. I hadn’t seen much of that player but he’s a good player.”
