“We have a lot of respect for West Ham United”.
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United know that winning their final two league games, against West Ham and Bournemouth, will seal a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
Wayne Rooney has scored 11 goals in 15 Premier League appearances against West Ham for Manchester United as well as a record seven as an opposition player at the Boleyn Ground in the competition. While there won’t be any trophies lifted, the team’s improved play this season has raised hopes for bigger and better things ahead of the move to Olympic Park, and the chance to host Europa League matches next season is a powerful motivator. However, nearly more importantly, Bilic’s side will want to give their home of 112 years a fitting finale.
Van Gaal has dealt with persistent injury problems over the course of the campaign and, having opted to rest Marcus Rashford and Daley Blind for the trip to Carrow Road, he will continue to proceed cautiously for these final, pivotal encounters.
Manchester City’s faltering form means United will leapfrog their bitter rivals and head into the final weekend of the season in the fourth and final Champions League spot if they are victorious at Upton Park.
Slaven Bilic’s men had drawn their first two meetings with United this term before they were knocked out of the FA Cup in last month’s quarter-final replay. “It’s the last game at this place and it’s going to be special”.
West Ham have made a £24m bid for a top forward in France and will bid £25m for another in England this week if they are unsuccessful, co-owner David Sullivan has confirmed.
Van Gaal knows the Hammers’ players and fans will want to sign off from their famous stadium with an emotional and historic win over his visiting Mancunian Reds on Tuesday night.
Louis van Gaal to the BBC: “We have to win our matches because otherwise we can not be in the first four – that’s the pressure that we have”.
“West Ham are a great club with a great history, they have a very good stadium and they always create a great atmosphere there”.
Manchester United have kept more clean sheets than any other Premier League team this season (18).
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“Reports consistently show that we have the highest average capacity in the Premier League and every game in our final season at the Boleyn Ground sold out within days of going on sale”.
