No heroes here, insists Javier

Javier Hernandez insists he is no Manchester United hero — despite coming off the bench to salvage a point at Liverpool.

The Mexican has endured a stop–start opening to his second Premier League run.

His pre–season was halted by the concussion he suffered on his first day of training on his belated arrival on the club’s North American tour in July.

Hernandez eventually made his competitive bow at the end of August, only to pick up knocks against Chelsea and Stoke that ruled him out of more matches.

His poacher’s instinct clearly remains intact though, judging by the way he snaffled the second–half opportunity afforded to him at Anfield, when Danny Welbeck flicked on Nani’s corner.

It was Hernandez’s third goal of the season and secured a 1–1 draw which, even if it was not enough to prevent Manchester City going top of the table, at least preserved United’s unbeaten record ahead of next weekend’s Old Trafford derby clash.

“I scored a goal but it is Manchester United that scored,” said the 23–year–old. “It doesn’t matter who scores the goals. There are no heroes here.”

It is the kind of selfless attitude Sir Alex Ferguson must love. And there is no denying Hernandez helped change the flow of a typically tight affair that only came to life once Steven Gerrard sent his free–kick through the gap Ryan Giggs created when he split from the United wall.

Hernandez’s equaliser provided another bizarre twist as, rather than going on the complete their comeback, as United looked capable of when they initially roused themselves after falling behind, the visitors were pushed back by a late Liverpool surge.

Twice the hosts felt they had sealed a fourth straight home win over the Red Devils, only for Dirk Kuyt and Jordan Henderson to be denied by David de Gea.

It cemented a view that it had been De Gea’s most complete performance since his £18million summer arrival from Atletico Madrid.

The efforts of Hernandez, De Gea and Rio Ferdinand, who excelled alongside Jonny Evans in central defence, helped divert some of the attention away from Wayne Rooney.

After keeping his counsel about Rooney’s England saga, starting with the red card in Montenegro that led to the news on Thursday evening that UEFA had banned him from their entire group stage of Euro 2012, Ferguson delivered his own verdict by putting his talisman on the bench.

It was not quite the same as a decision last season to leave him out of a trip to Everton altogether due to the reception he would receive, but it was significant nonetheless.