Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has admitted that he needs to stay patient if he wants to cement his place in the team.

The Spaniard has made just nine starts for the Red Devils this season, despite joining the club for around £26m from Athletic Bilbao in the summer.

While he is struggling for first-team action at Old Trafford, Herrera insists that he is happy to bide his time and work hard in training in order to impress manager Louis van Gaal.

"I want to play as much as possible in Manchester United but I will not arrive here and say 'I have to play'," he told The Telegraph.

"I want to win trophies with United. I want to be a very important player here but maybe only three or four players in the world can do it in five months. The rest of us have to work, improve and learn not only from team-mates but from everyone. I study everything."

United are back in action this afternoon when they host Sunderland in the Premier League.