Manchester United star Ander Herrera launches jibe at Liverpool: We have a better pitch, better grass and better team!

Ander Herrera has made an impassioned case for Manchester United to beat Liverpool in their Europe League return – saying they have a better team, better pitch and even better grass!

United trail 2-0 from last week’s first leg at Anfield, with Liverpool firm favourites to advance to the quarter-final stage at the expense of their old enemy.

But after seeing United win all four Premier League meetings between the two clubs under Louis van Gaal, Herrera believes that United can still turn it around at a raucous Old Trafford on Thursday night.

Ander Herrera (left, pictured with Louis van Gaal) has warned Liverpool players to be ready for a fight

Both Herrera (left) and Van Gaal (right) were in high spirits during Wednesday afternoon's press conference

Herrera (left) shares a joke with Manchester United manager Van Gaal (right) before the press conference

‘We are Manchester United and if Liverpool want to go to the quarter-finals they are going to have to fight,’ warned the Spanish midfielder.

‘Since I was here at United we have played five times against them and won four times. Two times we have played them at home and we won clearly. I think we were the better team and they were not so comfy playing here in front of our fans.

‘Tomorrow [Thursday] will be completely different. Old Trafford is different. The pitch is bigger, the grass is better. It’s another challenge for us and I think we are ready.’

Herrera denied that United lacked fight in the first leg at Anfield, but knows how much it would mean to their fans to turn the tie around.

‘We always fight, we always have the desire to win,’ he added. ‘You can never say that we don’t want to win or fight. Everyone has to respect us on that issue.

‘We are very proud because we are Manchester United players. But we should have played much better. Now we have another chance tomorrow.

Manchester United midfielder Herrera (right) believes his side have what it takes to beat Liverpool

Herrera is all smiles as he trains alongside his United team-mates, including Bastian Schweinsteiger

'When you have such a bad game you don’t have to think too much what happened. The next challenge is tomorrow [on Thursday]. The biggest opponent for our fans and our history. Don’t think about the past, just tomorrow [Thursday].

‘When we play at home we feel stronger. We have more fans at home and our fans, for me, are the best in England.

‘We know how the next week is going to be (if United win or lose), and how happy the fans will be. We want to make them happy. We want to make them proud.

‘It’s a big opportunity to give to them. It is our dream to win tomorrow to give them a very good moment.’ 

The former Athletic Bilbao man (centre) takes part in a sprinting drill with three of his United team-mates

IT CAN BE DONE..WHEN UNITED OVERTURNED A 2-0 AWAY DEFICIT

1984 European Cup-Winners Cup quarter-final

Barcelona 2 Manchester United 0; Manchester United 3 Barcelona 0 (3-2 on aggregate)

The best moment of 'Big' Ron Atkinson's United career. Diego Maradona and Barcelona left Old Trafford with their tails between their legs with many lifelong United fans saying the atmosphere that night was the best there has ever been.

Barca had won 2-0 in the Nou Camp with an own goal by Graeme Hogg and late strike from Carlos Rojo. But Hogg bounced back to give the performance of a lifetime marking Maradona in the second leg, while at the other end Bryan Robson scored twice before a strike by Frank Stapleton sent United through.

Robson (left) shakes hands with then-Barcelona captain Diego Maradona ahead of kick off in 1984

 

2014 Champions League last 16

Olympiacos 2 Manchester United 0; Manchester United 3 Olympiacos 0 (3-2 on aggregate)

It is commonly accepted that the limp way that United lost 2-0 in the first leg in Athens persuaded the board that David Moyes was not the man to take the team forward long-term.

Yet the Scot threw away his natural caution for the second leg and put his trust in the brilliance of his individual players. Robin van Persie in particular did not let him down and scored an outstanding hat-trick to put United into the quarter-finals. Sadly for Moyes, there was a bitter postnote. Van Persie went off with a knee injury after his hat-trick and went on to miss the quarter-final defeat against Bayern Munich.

Former United manager David Moyes celebrates on the Old Trafford touchline during a rare high at the club