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Herrera denies Mourinho rift after Huddersfield loss

Cape Town - Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has insisted he has a “fantastic relationship" with boss Jose Mourinho after his comments following the Red Devils’ loss to Huddersfield last weekend appeared to upset his manager.

Herrera angered Mourinho after the Spain midfielder said that the Terriers had played with "more passion," causing the Portuguese boss to suggest the players should "go into the press conference and explain".

Mourinho later blamed a "really bad attitude" for the loss, and said he could not explain Herrera's remarks.

Herrera, though, dismissed any talk of a rift between him and Mourinho.

"We have a fantastic relationship, but what I said was that in the first 30 minutes they had a better attitude than us," Herrera said.

"That's what happened. But after that we had a good attitude and we were even close to drawing the game, which is not so easy after playing bad the first 30 minutes.

"But now we want to forget what happened on Saturday.

"We want to move forward for a massive game against Tottenham and try to win.

"After the defeat at Huddersfield we needed good feelings back, because when you lose a game you want to play as quick as possible and play well."

United are above Spurs on goal difference, the two sides meet at Old Trafford on Saturday, before the Red Devils host Chelsea a week later. Sandwiched between those two games is a Champions League tie with Benfica.

"It is a big week, but Tottenham is our target now," Herrera said.

"It is a tough game and Tottenham is a direct rival for the title.

"They are there every season. In the last two or three years they have improved a lot and they are contenders for everything; for the Champions League, for both cups and for the league.

"We saw the game they played with Real Madrid and they were not worse than them.

"So that means they are ready for anything."

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