The Red Devils dropped out of the Premier League top four yesterday after falling to a 2-1 home defeat to Norwich City, and are now six games without a win in all competitions. I don’t think a change of manager can bring direct success.
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The criticism of Dutch manager Louis van Gaal and his conservative ways have reached a boiling point, and the number of Manchester United fans who stand in support of him grow fewer and fewer.
When you’re United manager, defeats to promoted sides don’t go down well. “We know that. Now we prepare for the Stoke game with professionalism and spirit that is the only message I can give [to you]”. As always, I think everyone is trying their best, but things are not working. But the philosophy is also making an evolution – I am not the same coach I was 25 years ago.
“I’m just really pleased for the players, mainly because a lot of questions have been posed of myself and them”, he explained to Norwich City TV after the final whistle. Yes, of course I am anxious about my job. “Because of that I am – or maybe I have to say now, was – a very successful manager”. We did that this season until now. “We can’t accept that and that’s why I have to repeat, we have to stick together and believe in ourselves”.
Norwich’s victory – their first at Old Trafford since 1989 – lifted them out of the relegation zone and manager Alex Neil felt it was thoroughly deserved.
“I’ve encountered these circumstances also with other teams and other staff. The main thing is that you have to be professional and do the things that you have to do and work very hard to come out of this bad period”.
One leading bookmaker had the Portuguese at 8-15 favourite to replace Van Gaal who is 1-5 favourite to become the sixth Premier League boss to lose his job so far this season.
“If Louis van Gaal gets sacked it’s because he hasn’t got United into the top four”.
“But we limited them to very little at times and posed a threat on the break”.
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Cameron Jerome put Norwich in front before halftime and when Alex Tettey made it 2-0 the atmosphere inside Old Trafford was mutinous.
