'Let's kill Arsenal' - Former Manchester United midfielder Anderson opens up on mentality against Gunners
KEY POINTS
- Anderson was among Sir Alex Ferguson's most coveted individuals.
- The Brazilian was part of the team which defeated a young Gunners side 8-2 at Old Trafford
Former Manchester United midfielder Anderson has revealed how the Red Devils always came out with the mentality to kill Arsenal every time they played. Both clubs shared an intense rivalry over the years but with the Gunners having to pay for a new stadium move, the disparity between the clubs increased, allowing United to have the better of the period.
The 29-year-old was among Sir Alex Ferguson's most coveted individuals and has happy memories of his time at the club where he joined in 2007. Not always a starter, he won four league titles with United and made his way into the reckoning with his talent and dedication. He currently plays for Internacional, but is known best for the eight years he spent at United.
However, he was always a regular feature in the starting eleven against the Gunners, against whom, by his own admission, he did really well. The Brazilian was part of the team which defeated a young Gunners side 8-2 at Old Trafford, a game which ended in humiliation for the north London club.
"Fergie would always pick me against Arsenal because I always did well against them. Park Ji-Sung always played against Arsenal too. Ji always killed Arsenal. Ronny always did. Three passes and we were away and attacking. Goal," Anderson told ESPN.
"Our mentality against Arsenal was "let's kill Arsenal." We beat them 8-2 at home [in 2011]. I don't think I saw one of our players make a mistake that day. After we'd scored six, I started to take the p--- with the ball. The manager had to take me off!"
Anderson had deep words of praise for Ferguson, who helped him settle at the club and always looked after his wellbeing. The duo cared for each other and the Brazilian revealed that he played through injuries for him and his care for him led to new contracts, which saw him complete eight years at the club.
"I love him [Ferguson] too. He's the god of football. I played through injuries for him, stayed on the pitch when my legs were cut. I didn't care. When I was injured, I wanted to come back as soon as possible, but he'd try and stop me," he added.
"He looked after players so well. I felt that he cared for me. He helped me settle, he gave me new contracts. I can't thank that man enough for what he did for me. He trusted me in big games when I was 18."
