“We have reconsidered and we think we have to build him up for the game and not to risk too much by putting him in a match”, said Van Gaal.
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Addressing the mass exodus after the match, Van Gaal asserted that many fans may have abandoned their seats “because of the traffic”. You never know what the reason is. You can be very negative but we are in the next round, we have won two matches in a row. “But we are in the next round”.
And van Gaal – whose team were booed off at half-time during the club’s FA Cup win against Sheffield United – has confessed they have failed to play eye-catching football this campaign.
United ended an eight-match winless run by defeating Swansea nine days ago and then followed that victory up with a narrow success in the FA Cup against third tier Sheffield United.
Van Gaal refused to respond to more criticism from former United midfielder Paul Scholes, who claimed the players looked “bored”. “I’m sorry, but it is like that”.
Towards the start of this season Mata was in fantastic form for an extended period of time for United but since the team has gone into a lull, Mata’s influence on games has dramatically dipped. “We have to see if [other] players are still overloaded or not”.
Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes attacked the current crop of Manchester United players for their performance and said he is relieved they have avoided having to go to Bramall Lane for a replay.
Van Gaal has now revealed that he fully understands the supporters’ frustrations this season as he has also found himself becoming “bored” with the team’s displays on the pitch.
There was also a reminder to the supporters that life was not always rosy before he took over.
He said: “They might be thinking that we could not score”. “They defended with 10 behind the ball”.
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