I Will Be At Manchester United Next Season-Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal is adamant he will still be Manchester United manager next season, no matter what happens at the end of the season.

The Red Devils remain in contention for a top-four finish and are in the FA Cup final but speculation over the Dutchman’s future at the club persists.

Jose Mourinho has been heavily linked with replacing Van Gaal at Old Trafford but the 64-year-old is relaxed about his future and says he always felt it would take time to bring success to the club.

“I knew it would be like this. That’s why they hired me and we spoke about it,” he told reporters.

“We always knew that the process would take three years. I wanted to sign only for two years.

“The club wanted me to sign for three years, not me. I signed for three years – so next year you will see me again.

“Every week for six months I have been sacked – and yet I am still here. But this has happened to me at every club I have been at.

“I am doing the same job at United that I was hired to do at every club.

“People should assess the squad that I took over and make a comparison to the players we have now in terms of age.

“There is a big difference between what the people in the street think and the media. A big difference. I can only tell you my experiences and I don’t have to defend myself. I am a realistic man and so I only speak about facts.”

Van Gaal was also quick to defend his record since taking over in 2014 as he prepares to take on Leicester at Old Trafford on Sunday.

“The fact is that we finished fourth last year. At the moment we are fifth, but we are still able to finish third. On May 15 we will know for sure,” he added.

“The fact is that we are in the FA Cup Final. The fact is that we were in the Champions League. We didn’t do that last year.

“The fact is that we went further in the Capital One Cup. So there are a lot of pluses. Yes, we are in fifth and we are fighting for the one position that is the most important.

“We also have the best home record in the league, but we are one of the lousiest away teams of the top clubs and that is something we need to improve.”

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I Will Be At Manchester United Next Season-Van Gaal

Former Player Says LVG Can Succeed At Man Utd

Javier Hernandez believes Louis van Gaal is still capable of turning Manchester United’s fortunes around – despite being told he was surplus to requirements by the Dutchman.

The Mexican striker has taken the Bundesliga by storm this season since leaving Old Trafford for Bayer Leverkusen in September.

Hernandez was named Bundesliga player of the month three consecutive times in November, December and January and has scored 16 goals in 25 league games so far this season.

In contrast, United have struggled in front of goal and are currently in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification as they trail both Arsenal and Manchester City by four points with five games to play in the race for the top four.

Many would forgive Hernandez for harbouring resentment towards Van Gaal for the manner in which he was forced to leave Old Trafford.

But the 27-year-old still respects the beleaguered United manager and says he can guide the club back to the summit of English football if he is given more time.

“He is a really good manager to be honest,” Hernandez said, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports News HQ. “He has his own ways like all the managers in the world.

“You will not find the new Sir Alex Ferguson in the next 50 or 100 years because he was unique. He was special.

“Van Gaal can do it but in football, time and results are going to speak about if he is the main man or if he is not.”

After being loaned out to Real Madrid during Van Gaal’s first season in charge, Hernandez was told by the Dutchman that Wayne Rooney would be his first-choice striker and his chances in the United first team would be severely limited if he stayed.

While Hernandez has scored freely for Leverkusen, United have struggled in front of goal and are on course to shatter their record for lowest goals scored in a Premier League season.

The Red Devils have managed just 40 goals from their 33 games so far, while their previous low of 58 goals was set in 2004/05.

Anthony Martial is United’s top scorer in the league with eight goals while Rooney is second with seven. Their combined total of 15 league goals is one less than Hernandez has managed for Leverkusen.

Given how the season has gone for both parties, many United fans have questioned the decision to sell Hernandez but he says it was made clear to him that he was no longer wanted at Old Trafford.

“He just told me that my chances to play would be very hard,” Hernandez said. “I appreciate that he was very honest since the beginning.

“When I left, he told me my chances and my opportunities were going to be less because his main striker was going to be Wayne Rooney.

“If he wasn’t fit for example, I was going to play but when he was ready he would play.”

Credit: Skysports

Former Player Says LVG Can Succeed At Man Utd

Rashford Is Currently Undroppable - van Gaal

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes it is impossible to leave striker Marcus Rashford out of the starting line-up, following the teenager’s winner against Aston Villa.

Rashford fired in the only goal for the Reds as they secured a vital 1-0 victory on Saturday afternoon, and his manager believes that it is crucial the team benefit from his current run of good form.

Speaking to the press following the match, van Gaal relayed his admiration of the young forward, who was determined to play despite his exertions in midweek at West Ham United.

“Yes I wanted to change him,” said the boss. “I had doubted for a long time. He is also young and he has played the last how many [12] matches but, yeah, at the end I don’t want to do that. I want to take profit of his momentum, and he was very positive. I thought I can change him before the end and the last 15 minutes is always very important for players. So I changed him for that.”

The match saw Wayne Rooney start alongside Rashford for the first time in a competitive fixture, and van Gaal was encouraged by the performance of the skipper.

“He [Rooney] has never played 90 minutes in the last two and a half months. I think he was very good in the first half, and I think the goal was also his goal. I think it is a good spirit when you want to play 90 minutes in spite of the fact that you cannot build up your capacity in three days of training sessions. I’m very positive about his first half.”

Van Gaal made five changes to the side ahead of the game, including introducing Memphis Depay to the line-up in place of Anthony Martial, but Chris Smalling and Daley Blind continue to form the central defensive partnership.

“Memphis had a lot of good creative moments and he could have scored,” said van Gaal. “His fellow players could have scored out of his assist, and you also need a little bit of luck. Of course [Martial was rested] as he is young and has played many, many matches. Smalling and Blind have played all the matches, more or less, but I cannot change them at the moment so they have to play.”

Rashford Is Currently Undroppable - van Gaal

Van Gaal: Spurs Have Several Threats

Louis van Gaal knows Manchester United will have to deal with the whole Tottenham Hotspur team in order to win Sunday’s clash, not just the Barclays Premier League’s top scorer Harry Kane.

Kane’s 22 goals have helped Spurs mount a serious title challenge this season; they are second in the table and still harbour hopes of clawing back leaders Leicester City in the final seven games.

United are aiming to keep up the pressure on fourth-placed Manchester City with victory at White Hart Lane and, as van Gaal insisted in Friday’s pre-match press conference, that will require a collective effort.

“Harry Kane is, of course, a very good striker, but he hasn’t scored against us,” van Gaal pointed out. “When I say that then I am challenging him also, so it is not so smart.

“Yes, Kane is important. But we defend also against the attack of Tottenham Hotspur because we have analysed them and [Christian] Eriksen and Dele Alli are also important.

“Maybe I can start with [goalkeeper Hugo] Lloris, who does very quick set-plays, or [Toby] Alderweireld, who has a very good pass. It is the whole team that you have to solve, not just Harry Kane.”

Asked for his thoughts on opposite number Mauricio Pochettino’s work at Tottenham, van Gaal replied: “They have a very good squad and he has made a team of this squad, a team that presses high with a good positional game and they score a lot of goals.

“They also have a lot of clean sheets, though, which shows they are a well-organised and structured team. I think you can give credit to him.”

Leicester, who are in action earlier on Sunday away at Sunderland, could be 10 points clear by the time United’s game kicks off in north London, which would increase the pressure on Spurs.

“It is not easy for them – very difficult, in fact,” van Gaal stated. “The pressure is now on Tottenham Hotspur because they have to close the gap on Leicester City. I think that Leicester are in a very good position.”

Credit: Manutd

Van Gaal: Spurs Have Several Threats