Ander Herrera is calling on Manchester United to approach Wednesday’s game at Old Trafford against Arsenal as if it was ‘a final’.

With Arsenal riding high after their spectacular derby day win over Tottenham, United couldn’t be in worse shape ahead of this week’s game.

Drawing 2-2 with Southampton on Saturday, the United camp has been plagued with reports of a further rift between Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho while injuries and suspensions are starting to bite.

Manchester United go into Wednesday’s Premier League game knowing that if they lose they will be 11 points behind Arsenal just a few days into December. As such, Ander Herrera is urging his teammates to treat the game as a final to stop Arsenal making it 20 unbeaten.

“I know we are far from the top four but we cannot go crazy now about the table,” Herrera said. “The only thing we can do is give everything on Wednesday against Arsenal and then Saturday against Fulham. We should approach the Arsenal game like a final.”

Arsenal’s record at Old Trafford, as you know, is far from great but they must surely be heading into this game as favourites. A quick check of a few bookmaker’s sites – the only people to call Arsenal as favourites against Spurs on Sunday – and I see that Arsenal are 2/1 with United 13/10, making them slight favourites because of their home advantage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIlygbUzG_k

Arsenal have won only four of their 25 trips to Old Trafford this century. But who would bet against them this week against this Jose Mourinho side?

For the record, United lost their last actual cup final appearance when Chelsea beat them at Wembley in the FA Cup final back in May.