Herrera started his first game of the season on Wednesday and he did not let Van Gaal down, scoring one and setting up another goal in the 4-0 win over Club Brugge that put United into the group stages of the Champions League.
Herrera started nervously, but improved tremendously after half-time when he moved from a holding midfield position to the number 10 slot just behind Wayne Rooney.
Despite his success in the position, Herrera is realistic about his chances of playing there for the rest of the season, mainly because Van Gaal has the option of playing Memphis Depay, Juan Mata, Adnan Januzaj, Marouane Fellaini, Rooney or Andreas Pereira there too.
"Time will tell if this will be a big night for me
If the manager wants me to play, I will play and if the manager wants me to wait for my moment then I will wait," the United midfielder said.
"I am realistic
This is the way I will approach things.
"I am a team player
I don't think about me
It's just the team
I am not selfish
I will play where the manager wants me to play
"If I have to play holding midfielder, I will do
Last season, I played more as a holding midfielder than as a number 10, but if I have to play as a number 10, then I want to help my team by scoring and assisting."
Herrera put the seal on the joint-biggest win of Van Gaal's reign with a 63rd-minute strike in Bruges.
The biggest star of the night was undoubtedly Rooney.
The United captain ended an 878-minute goal drought with a clinical hat-trick and Herrera could not have been happier for the striker.
"We are happy for him," the Spaniard said.
"He is our captain and our leader and he is always helping us and thinking about the team.
"It is important for him to score, but it is also important for him that we win."
Herrera also praised his captain for giving the ball to Javier Hernandez when United won a penalty - which the Mexican missed - in the second half.
"It was a great gesture," Herrera said.
"It was unselfish, and it shows he is always thinking of the team.
"He knew it was important for Chicharito to score, so he gave the ball to him.
"When you are a star, that kind of thing is not so usual, so we are lucky to have Wayne with us."
Despite the comprehensive nature of the win, Herrera is refusing to make any grand predictions about United's chances of going far in the Champions League.
"It is too early to say," he said
"We have to go step by step, but of course, we are representing one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"The history of the club says we have to fight for all the trophies."
Source : PA
Source: PA