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Louis van Gaal: last 16 place a hard task after PSV draw

Old Trafford witnessed Manchester United’s seventh clean sheet in nine matches last night but that statistic was scant consolation to home fans and players alike after a frustrating 90 minutes against PSV Eindhoven.

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His message was at least appreciated by one member of the Old Trafford faithful, who replied: “If it wasn’t for you the majority of the time we’d be gone to s***”.

Only Wayne Rooney has scored more goals for United than the Spaniard this season. Yet in the next game, we could score out of nothing.

A win in Germany will send the Red Devils through, however if they fail to beat the Bundesliga side, and PSV win at home to rock-bottom CSKA Moscow, then they’re out.

Real Madrid are now guaranteed top spot in that group after they survived a stunning fightback from Shaktar Donetsk in Ukraine to win 4-3, having led 4-0 at one point with Ronaldo bagging a brace. “We felt as the game went on and they couldn’t score, they were not so dominant anymore”. But you can not do it always.

The Frenchman will lead the attack through the middle with Rooney just behind, while Memphis Depay, who scored the opening goal at the weekend keeping his place and starting on the left side. We have created three open chances and three other chances and we give only two chances away against a very defensive opponent.

If you find it odd that the first two slides in this slideshow mentioned nearly nothing of Wednesday’s game, don’t worry.

Michael Owen was less diplomatic, taking United to task and calling out Louis van Gaal’s tactics.

“I am very excited about this result”, he told Ziggo Sport.

Van Gaal’s discussion of the game suggested that his changes should have improved the side in the second half.

Van Gaal added: “We could have finished in the first half but also in the second half. We go there with hope because we have beaten them here”.

“We are still second and in a qualifying position and we have to do it in Wolfsburg”. But it is more hard.

“We won our home game against them, so why can we not win away?”

United are a point behind the German group leaders following Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with PSV Eindhoven.

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Asked if United were ruthless enough, Rooney said: “No, we’re not”. That’s their style and the first 20 minutes they power forward and created some risky situations. The next game, we could score out of nothing.

One United player is supposedly unhappy with Van Gaal's philosophy