A dejected Louis van Gaal admitted the Europa League is now Manchester United’s best hope of a Champions League return following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Sunderland.
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Here are the main points from the manager’s post-match interview with BT Sport and press conference…
We give five points away – Chelsea and here.
Sunderland’s Lamine Kone celebrates his goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Sunderland and Manchester United at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. I was chairman of the coaches federation in the Netherlands and we had a rule that you can never talk with a club without informing the present manager. We didn’t control the second half or the first 20 minutes of the game.
He added that the new players made a “massive contribution” since they arrived on Wearside but thinks there has been “nothing bigger than today”.
“Don’t think we created enough chances, weren’t aggressive enough. There are many very good teams participating in this event”. “It is too much at this time”.
He said: “We have to improve our results and consistency to win a lot of matches in a row”.
Is the loss a backwards step?
“I’m under no more pressure”, he said.
Asked about his own future, the Dutchman said: “I have to do my work and I do my work to my utmost best and I can not do more”. We want to be in the top four and now it will be very hard. But because they don’t deliver, you’re disappointed and frustrated.
This time Mannone could only parry it out and Anthony Martial quickly reacted to the loose ball before dinking over the Sunderland keeper and into the corner from a tight angle.
Memphis Depay is pushing for his first start since the Boxing Day defeat to Stoke after setting up three of United’s goals against the Canaries.
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United remain six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City in the race for Champions League qualification, and captain Rooney admits that making the top four is now “difficult”. The Portuguese manager, who is reportedly set to replace Van Gaal at Old Trafford in the summer, has “reserved” the player ahead of the next campaign.
