“That stage when I was at Man United has gone now and I’m a Crystal Palace player”.
Advertisement
“We have to be focused on the next game against Everton, we want to reach the final”.
Antonio Valencia grabbed the assist for Marcus Rashford’s victor on Saturday night, but he nearly cost United late on with a series of defensive errors. I have said in advance what we need and in my opinion I don’t have a senior creative player.
Van Gaal will certainly hope for a start akin to that seen at Old Trafford, where Damien Delaney’s own goal put United on course for victory within four minutes.
The 30-year-old, who has never won the FA Cup and was not selected for the 2009 semi-final against the Toffees, looks to have done enough to continue for the Barclays Premier League visit of Palace to Old Trafford.
United and Palace could do battle once again on May 21 if they navigate their way through this weekend’s Wembley encounters – against Everton and Watford respectively – matches that offer both teams the chance to end frustrating seasons with a shot at silverware.
Van Gaal will still be without Adnan Januzaj, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Luke Shaw.
United have also beaten Palace four of their last five meetings, but their first battle this season ended in a goalless draw.
A string of injuries led the likes of Rashford to get an early first-team look in, along with the likes Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Guillermo Varela.
Confidence rising: Louis van Gaal.
“We are putting the pressure on”, he said as fifth placed United moved to within a point of Arsenal and two of Manchester City.
Crystal Palace have kept only one clean sheet away to Manchester United in league competition in 18 attempts – October 1970 (1-0).
February and March combined (two points – W0 D2 L9).
“Now he has played 75 minutes so I build up his capacity in the matches, which I have done also with the other players, like Marcos Rojo”, said Van Gaal. “And I’m a little part of it, but that part is very important because you need guts to do that”.
“It was more of a midfield role because of the way Crystal Palace played”.
Advertisement
Rashford’s big break was largely forced upon Van Gaal as United suffered a crippling mid-season injury crisis, which has eased in recent weeks.
