A Clean Sheet Has Made De Gea Happy – Herrera

Ander Herrera has said he was desperate to keep a first clean sheet under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to stop goalkeeper David De Gea moaning.

United conceded consolations against Cardiff, Huddersfield and Bournemouth before Newcastle drew a blank in a 2-0 defeat at St James’ Park on Wednesday and Herrera is relieved to get De Gea off his back.

“It’s very important and very important for David,” Herrera said.

“We wanted to make David happy because he was a little bit disappointed the last games. I had to cope with him after the game, killing my mind, telling me that he wanted a clean sheet and I’m happy for him as well because he got a clean sheet.”

Solskjaer has lifted the mood at Old Trafford with four straight wins. It has put United back in touch with the top four after closing the gap from 11 points to six but Herrera is refusing to blame former boss Jose Mourinho for the poor start to the season.

“I am not going to compare. I said it the last game,” he said. “I respect a lot what the last manager did for us.

“The only thing I can say, or the only thing I can talk about, is our form right now. “It’s very good, we are happy, we are playing good and I hope we can continue.”

One of the highlights of Solskjaer’s reign so far is the improved form of Paul Pogba. Left on the bench for Mourinho’s final three league games, the France international has returned to the team to score four goals in four games under the caretaker manager.

“He’s playing really, really well,” Herrera said. “Not only with the ball. I think as soon as we lose the ball he is ready to defend, ready to help the team.

“He is playing very simple and effective in our half, and then when he is in the opponent’s half he has that magic to change the game, so we are really happy for him.

“I think Nemanja [Matic] and me, or the other players, we have to help him to make him feel free and that’s what we’re doing.”