Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick is adamant that the players are still behind beleaguered coach Louis van Gaal. He had described the match as “must-win”, but his side were deservedly beaten at a windswept Britannia Stadium after Bojan Krkic punished a Memphis Depay error to open the scoring in the 19th minute before Marko Arnautovic slammed home a second goal seven minutes later.
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Buffalo running back and Harrisburg native LeSean McCoy had 74 yards rushing and 35 receiving in his return to Philadelphia . Buffalo started that drive at the Eagles 46 after an unsportsmanlike penalty on Philadelphia’s Riley Cooper on a punt.
Having said that, Jose Mourinho is the comfortable, odds on favourite for the job and, according to Spanish journalist Pipi Estrada, the Portuguese manager will take over at Old Trafford next week.
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After a highly eventful Boxing Day programme, Leicester City remained top despite a 1-0 loss at Liverpool after Arsenal failed to exploit their slip-up by capitulating at Southampton.
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Hightower had his way throughout the game, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and bulldozing the line on two redzone scores. It might be Garrett Grayson at quarterback when the New Orleans Saints host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
More rumour and debate about Van Gaal’s position will come in the next couple of days, particularly if United lose to Chelsea on Monday, but the embattled Dutchman has his iron shield up and is ready for what comes his way. “Sometimes I do it by myself”, he said.
Van Gaal was at United’s training complex as normal on Sunday with assistant boss Ryan Giggs, where the players underwent a light workout ahead of Monday nght’s game.
One, Louis van Gaal, knows he is on borrowed time.
Matteo Darmian faces a late fitness test on a hamstring injury but Ashley Young is on stand-by to deputise once again at right-back if the Italian global fails to make it. “We have to show them (our appreciation) by picking up three points on Monday”.
And even though most of the the 2,557 United supporters who had made the trip down the M6 clapped the players off at the final whistle, Van Gaal did not seem to have much fight in him when he addressed the media shortly after. Asked if he felt he still had the support of the United board, Van Gaal said: “You will have to wait and see, but I think so”. “I can complain a lot.but that’s not my nature, we have to go on and find a solution as soon as possible, but it’s a setback”. You see that different players cope with that pressure differently.
United are now suffering their worst run of form since 1961, with their last victory coming against Watford on November 21.
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Old Trafford has not been the happiest place in the past few weeks and Manchester United’s performances are to blame for that. “It will be hard, but I hope this team will show, in every game, the ambition like they showed against Watford”, Hiddink said.
