The clouds were grey and there wasnt a sign of sunshine anywhere. Mike Montgomery Jersey . Two Spanish players kicked the ball between each other as cameras ran around them looking for the perfect shot. The weather had given it away. It was clearly the north of England, but the skill on show on the pitch came from elsewhere. Juan Mata struck the ball hard off the bar and that was Ander Herreras cue to turn around, rifle the ball in the net and send a stern message to the camera. ‘Have you got the instinct? It was a message created up by the brain trust behind the latest Adidas campaign, but it is a test his new team has to pass if they want to progress. The two Manchester United players represent a new era at Old Trafford, despite them not being directly linked with Louis van Gaal. Gaalaticos, these are not. Mata was a David Moyes signing and Herrera was pursued by Moyes and the clubs chief executive, Ed Woodward, as early as the summer of 2013, yet only became a United player once the club finally caved and agreed to pay the 36 million Euro out clause to Athletic Bilbao for the midfielder. Herrera admitted he hadnt spoken to his new manager before he signed, but, then again, van Gaal was making his way to Fortaleza at the time for a last-16 tilt with Mexico for the Netherlands when the Spaniard finally put pen to paper at Old Trafford. It would be unfair on Herrera, though, to presume his face did not fit with van Gaals philosophy. The Dutch boss had been named the next manager at Old Trafford well before the final successful bid had been submitted to San Mames and it was clear, no matter who the manager was, that Herrera was a player United needed. It can take some time for overseas players to adapt to the Premier League, but last weekend the 25-year-old Spaniard looked like he had been playing in England all his life. Herrera was magnificent against QPR, operating on the right side of a midfield diamond, but receiving an incredible 87 passes all over the field. Highlighting his exceptional movement, both his full-backs, Rafael and Marcos Rojo, finished in the top three of players who completed passes to him. It was only QPR Four small words that have been thrown in the face of Manchester United fans all week. For the first time in 25 years, the club are not playing in a European competition this season, so they have more time than usual to digest domestic successes from the past weekend. It may have only been QPR, but Sundays hammering of the London club by van Gaals men showed they had the instinct, demonstrating a desire to push forward regularly with a speed from midfield that was lacking under Moyes. The game was over as a contest by half-time and, finally, their fans saw strong signs of progression away from the Moyes era. Such a low bar may have been set after the disastrous campaign of last season, yet it is important United break stride away from that period as quickly as possible. Before QPR, against Swansea and Burnley for example, questions remained. There are different ways to measure progress. Clearly, the easiest way to do this is by looking at the result and the 4-0 thumping over QPR meant van Gaal accomplished something, in his second home league game, that Moyes never did by winning a Premier League match at Old Trafford by four goals. United only won one game at home by four goals last season, coming in April under caretaker boss Ryan Giggs. It is also easy to look at a man-of-the-match performance from Angel Di Maria and see that United are finally trending in the right direction. Indeed, the former Real Madrid man was sensational on his home debut. The Argentine winger received a lot of praise for his performance, where he operated on the left side of the diamond, that was the reason for much of Uniteds success. Di Maria is a modern day footballer who brings speed, creativity and intelligence to pivotal positions on the field, starting counterattacks, igniting transitions and sending precise final balls into the penalty box for a striker to finish off. He is a player United should have had for some time, bought at a high-end cost that the club have avoided for far too long. The same can be said for the loan capture of Radamel Falcao, harshly criticized in the English media as a unnecessary luxury based on the issues in defence, but what both bring is a high level of talent and intelligence sadly lacking at Old Trafford for some time. They arrive at the gates of Old Trafford already as genuine world class players and, although this has been reported as a change of identity for the club, it was one that was needed. Falcao and Di Maria will be stars for United this season, helping shape an identity away from what they had become under Moyes where the team was, simply, far too predictable, far too direct and far too English. Midfield General The addition of Herrera is equally important as they move away from that direction. No matter what system van Gaal employs this season, what he needs is a vital link-up between defence and attack. A midfielder who has an appreciation for space and reads the game quicker than most and not one whose first move is to pass sideways. Herrera, the son of a former technical secretary at his boyhood club, Real Zaragoza, used to write scouting reports for his father on players before he was a teenager. He is a self-confessed football addict, who watches multiples leagues around the world. On the pitch it shows. He is a player with great instincts. Against QPR, he made a run into the box early in the game because he knew where Di Marias cross was going before he hit it. Robin van Persie collided with him because he wasnt used to having midfielders make those runs. He is now. His instincts and desire for the ball in tight quarters ensured he won all eight tackles he attempted and secured his team the free kick that Di Maria powered home in the first half. A short time later, he sprinted from deep in his own end on a Di Maria counter, checked his run, and then powered home his shot. He wasnt done, as he glided inside and into space to play a one-two with Mata that allowed United to penetrate into the final third that led to Wayne Rooneys goal. It was only one game of football, against inferior opposition, but Herrera brought qualities to Uniteds midfield that have been missing since Paul Scholes retired. An ability to join the attack, to always be an intelligent outlet by desiring the ball in space, by reading the flow of a move by his team and his opponent, and regularly being in the right place, with or without the ball. Di Maria and Falcao will be fun to watch for United fans this season, but Herreras development under van Gaal will be fascinating to observe. He blossomed under Marcelo Bielsa at Bilbao and in the Dutchman he gets another detailed-oriented boss who loves the game as much as him. He may not be a Gaalatico, but Herrera is the intelligent instigator whose instincts will win Manchester United a lot of games going forward. Ander Herrera and Manchester United travel to Leicester City this Sunday for their next Premier League clash. Join Kristian Jack and Andi Petrillo for the coverage starting at 8am et/5am pt TSN2. Javier Baez Jersey . What they did need, the Devils got from Patrik Elias. Elias scored a power-play goal 40 seconds into overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. Kerry Wood Jersey . Particularly when speaking in the stadium of Tuesdays opponent: Manchester City. "Maybe they dont fear us as before," Pique said on Monday, "because in the last two years we didnt win the Champions League. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-David-Ross-Kids-Jersey/ . Lawries batting helmet hit an umpire during his ninth-inning outburst in the Jays 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The 22-year-old threw his helmet to the ground and it bounced up and hit home plate umpire Bill Miller on the right hip after Lawrie was called out on strikes for the second out.Calgary, AB (SportsNetwork.com) - Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader each posted a goal and an assist to lead the Detroit Red Wings in a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Riley Sheahan had the other goal and Petr Mrazek stopped 28 shots for the Red Wings, who have won three of their last four. Its nice to get a goal, but its nice to get a win, said Zetterberg. We played the way we wanted to and won the last two games. Mikael Backlund had a goal and an assist and Mason Raymond notched the other marker for the Flames, who have lost their last two. Starting goaltender Karri Ramo left halfway through the second period after a collision with his own player when he came out to play the puck. He took a knee to the head and was escorted into the locker room after stopping 12-of-13 shots. Jonas Hiller allowed two goals on nine shots in relief. After Raymond beat Mrazek on a wraparound 2:27 into the game, Detroit tied the game at 7:58 of the first as Sheahan skated down the right wing and cut behind the defender before beating Ramo with a quick shot high to the short side. The only goal of the second period went to the Red Wings, as Zetterberg was able to chip a bouncing puck in from the left side off a deflected pass at 17:28 for his 10th of the season. It was a 3-1 game just 2:03 into the third as thee Red Wings scored on a power play after Gustav Nyquist sent a pass from the left circle to the low right side for Abdelkader, whose first shot went off the left post, but he buried his second chance. Sammy Sosa Jersey. The Flames made it a one-goal game three minutes later on a 2-on-2 rush while shorthanded that saw Paul Byron skate in down the left wing and fling a pass to the slot where Backlund backhanded the puck into the net. Calgary nearly tied the score with 1:20 left after Byron snapped the puck in from down low, but play had been whistled dead moments before as Mrazek had his mask knocked off. Thats a tough break right there to have that happen at that moment of the game, said Calgary defenseman Mark Giordano about the play. Its the right call to make, but unfortunately it probably cost us a goal. Mrazek made a couple more saves down the stretch to help his team grab the win. Game Notes Detroit continues its six-game road trip in Washington on Saturday ... Calgary hosts Florida on Friday ... Detroit was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Calgary was 0-for-4 ... Calgary assigned forward Markus Granlund and defenceman Corey Potter to the Adirondack (AHL) and activated Backlund and defenceman Ladislav Smid from injured reserve on Wednesday. Cheap Blackhawks Jerseys Cheap Avalanche Jerseys Cheap Team USA Hockey Jerseys Cheap Stars Jerseys Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Predators Jerseys Cheap Blues Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Ducks Jerseys Cheap Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Flames Jerseys Cheap Oilers Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Cheap Sharks Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Winter Classic Jerseys ' ' '