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Ander Herrera recalls vow to ‘follow Eden Hazard to the toilet’ for the legendary clash.
Ander Herrera has talked about the moment he man-marked former Chelsea star Eden Hazard for Manchester United, pledging to ‘follow him to the toilet’ if necessary.
Between 2014 and 2019, Herrera enjoyed a productive five-year stint at Old Trafford, appearing in close to 200 games and tallying 20 goals.
He scored one of those goals in a 2-0 victory over Chelsea in 2017, although Jose Mourinho, the manager of Manchester United at the time, gave him another specific assignment that day.
“At that time, Hazard was the best player in the league, with the best stats and everything,” Herrera told the Utd Podcast.
“Chelsea were on fire, and Mourinho decided that I was the man to stop him.
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“Two days before [the match], I said: ‘I’m going to try my best. Even if he goes to the toilet, I will follow him‘.”
Herrera, who is spending the season back on loan at former club Athletic Club from Paris Saint-Germain, also picked up the assist on the other goal that day, while Hazard was completely nullified.
But he asserts that, although individual accomplishment is good, the success of the team has always been and always will be more vital.
“It was funny because I had a defensive role at that time, and I gave an assist, and I scored a goal,” Herrera said. “And Hazard didn’t do too much at that time, so it was funny.
“I am a team player. I am ready to help the team and, at that time, Mourinho asked me to do that and I did it and, if tomorrow, I have to do it here in Bilbao, I will do it again.
“I want to finish my career with the feeling that I have done everything that I have done in my hands to help my team, my coach and my team-mates.”