Van Gaal and his players have had both Sunday and Monday off – as was always scheduled – and are due to return to work on Tuesday.
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After suffering a sixth league defeat of the season, Van Gaal must also lift his players for Friday’s FA Cup fourth round trip to Derby County.
Manchester United have cancelled their routine post-match warm-down session following the 1-0 defeat to Southampton at Old Trafford on 23 January.
However, with the entire stadium calling for Van Gaal’s head, and with millions of fans around the world echoing the locals” sentiments, Ed Woodward instructed the Dutch manager to “take some time’ to think about it.
The Red Devils – frequently derided of late for playing in a boring, uninspiring way – had just one shot on target in the match.
Woodward, the club’s executive vice-chairman, has spoken to individuals following a dip in form that has left United five points off a Champions League place. According to reports, he was nearly fired after Christmas, but three wins – notably a 1-0 victory and Liverpool – and a tie at the beginning of the year eased the pressure on the 64-year-old Van Gaal.
Asked about his appetite to continue as the manager of Manchester United, Van Gaal said: “This question I shall never answer”.
There was no immediate indication from the United hierarchy that Van Gaal would lose his job. “They have – or they had – great expectations of me, and I can not fulfil them, so I am very frustrated because of that”.
Saturday’s boos marked a turn in van Gaal’s relationship with the fans.
It is understood the United boss is in Holland for his daughter’s birthday and is not expected back at Carrington until tomorrow.
The other would be to promote Ryan Giggs from his role as assistant in a similar move that saw him take over as caretaker boss after David Moyes’ sacking in 2013.
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It is to be seen whether Van Gaal is shown the door or the club stick to the Dutchman until the end of the 2015/16 campaign.
