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Ander Herrera: Manchester City are obliged to win titles after trophyless season and record spending
The first shots have been fired in Manchester’s battle for Premier League supremacy, with United midfielder Ander Herrera claiming there is a greater onus on rivals City to win the title because of their unprecedented summer spending and failure to win any silverware last season.
United reacted to City’s 6-0 trouncing of Watford on Saturday by beating Everton 4-0 at Old Trafford 24 hours later to leave the two teams inseparable at the top of the table with the same number of points, goals scored and goals conceded after five matches.
But while the title race remains in its infancy and Mourinho and City manager Pep Guardiola may hope to avoid a repeat of their toxic clashes with Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively in Spain, the battle lines are in the process of being drawn again and Herrera has already sought to heap the pressure on City.
United won the Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield last season, with Herrera claiming those three trophies means City are in far greater need of silverware.
“We won three titles last season and City didn’t win anything,” the United midfielder said. “They are under pressure. They are obligated to win titles. We won three last season so they have more obligation than us.
“But you know when you play for Man United wining is an expectation and an obligation, but I like that obligation to be honest.”
United were hardly shy in the transfer market in the summer, with Mourinho committing an initial £140 million to sign striker Romelu Lukaku, midfielder Nemanja Matic and centre-half Victor Lindelof. But Herrera believes City’s £215 million splurge on Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Bernardo Silva, Ederson and Danilo is another reason why expectations are far higher for Guardiola’s side.
“Man City have spent the biggest amount in the Premier League so they are the principle contenders for the title,” the Spaniard added. “We will try to be there as well, we have quality as well, and we will fight for every title. But I think because of the money they have spent they are the favourites.
“We will try to be there but they have spent the biggest money in the league. There is always pressure when you spend a lot but there is also pressure on us because we are the biggest club in England.”
For all the talent going forward in both sides, though, Herrera suggested United hold a trump card with goalkeeper David De Gea. Guardiola sought to address their problems in goal by signing the Brazilian Ederson, who has enjoyed an impressive start to his City career and proved a huge improvement on the hapless Claudio Bravo, but Herrera believes De Gea is the world’s best goalkeeper and has reached a point where opponents are now intimidated by him. “I respect all the keepers, like Manuel Neuer, Gianluigi Buffon and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but David right now is the number one in the world,” Herrera said of his compatriot.
“In Spanish we say he has got a don – a gift that comes from God. It makes a difference when you have a keeper who wins you points. He is one of the few keepers who can give you points. I think he is in that position now where he intimidates strikers. He makes some unbelievable saves. Even in training we end up laughing at times because we try to score and it is just impossible.”
Herrera believes the persistent links with Real Madrid are unlikely to go away but he is confident De Gea will stay in the longer term so long as the club remains successful.
“We are going to enjoy having him here and try to keep him at the club for as long as possible,” he said. “I think he wants to be a legend in the club, which is important for us. Of course I can see him staying here for more years. How good is David now? We need to win titles to keep him with us. That is what we did last season.
“David is really happy at the moment because we are fighting for everything. We won three titles last season, and the FA Cup the year before, and that is what he wants.
“Real Madrid are going to talk about it every summer because he is the best keeper in the world. But we don’t think we are far from Real Madrid, we won three titles last season, the only English team to do it.”