Van Gaal went on to reiterate that, as of Wednesday, he still had the confidence of his team before refusing to take questions and making his early exit.
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I was really pleased with what we did in the first half-hour and then we had to change. We have to use his natural skills and he has to try and be more involved in the game.
The club’s 2-0 Boxing Day loss to Stoke City represented their fourth defeat on the trot to leave them sixth in the table, nine points behind leaders Leicester City. There was no word from the club in the immediate aftermath of the game on whether the Dutchman would remain in charge. “Sometimes I do that by myself”, the Dutch head coach said after Saturday’s loss.
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Butler’s actions were (rightfully) watched closely after he said the Bulls needed to be coached harder. The Thunder fell behind 11-0 in the first quarter before battling back within two at the break.
Van Gaal did admit there was a “new situation” compared to Wednesday, when he said he had received supportive phone calls from executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, his predecessor David Gill and former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
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However, ITV’s victory will be overshadowed by the overall decline in people tuning into the main channels over Christmas Day. Nobody regrets ending when we did. “The show did not end because any of our cast wanted to leave”.
“It is not always the club that has to fire or sack me. I don’t think that is the sequence”.
“That is now the big issue”, Van Gaal added.
“He has this talent, but he’s also giving interviews saying “hey, I have to get used to another way of playing, the intensity of the games every three days, plus the intensity of the game”.
Carrick admitted the pride of United’s players has been hurt by their seven-match winless run.
“So it is much more hard and there are no artificial ways to solve that, we need a victory and that’s very important, but we also have to do our work, our preparation and of course our recovery in the training sessions”.
It is more hard because I am also part of the four matches we have lost so people are looking at me and I have to deal with that, but more importantly the players have to deal with that because they are the ones who have to perform.
Man United put in a dismal display against Stoke and were deservedly beaten thanks to goals from Bojan and Marko Arnautovic.
“And in the second half and half time I have said that to my players. That is what I have analysed”, said Van Gaal, whose side’s next game is at home to Chelsea on Monday.
“I watched his body language very closely on Saturday and he just looked like a defeated man. The fact that he actually said he might come out and resign told its own story in itself”.
Giggs has been heavily linked with the Swansea job and could well be subject of a fresh approach by Liberty Stadium bosses should United’s hierarchy go for an outsider when van Gaal eventually leaves.
While United have fallen to Stoke, Norwich City and Bournemouth in succession, Potters manager Mark Hughes was left celebrating another famous result, having also seen his side overcome champions Chelsea.
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Fellaini will be desperate to add to his one League goal thus far this season as Manchester United take aim at Chelsea in their next clash on Monday.
