Chelsea remain 13th, 17 points below the top four, but while their Champions League qualification hopes have long seemed over, Costa’s goal dealt a weighty blow to embattled United manager Van Gaal. Ultimately, largely underwhelming football has coupled with a distinct lack of a genuine title challenge.
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The Welshman has been touted as a future manager for United, with the original plan being that he would succeed Louis Van Gaal upon the Dutchman’s retirement in 2017.
The Portuguese continues to be linked with the Old Trafford hotseat and such talk is clearly grinding on the United manager, who hit out at journalists after the 1-1 draw at Chelsea. It was a proper football match, unlike so many games that United fans have witnessed over the past six month.
Manchester United, still in fifth place, took the initiative in an entertaining spectacle, producing a performance that will be encouraging to fans. They also had more attempts at goal than Chelsea. “I don’t. You.” A reporter was heard responding as Van Gaal left the room: “You too”. “Costa is not offside because of that”. “But like I said for now the disappointment is overruling that”. Another notable feature was that the youngster was also impressive at blocking crosses when Chelsea attacked into his zone.
When Eric Cantona signed for United in November 1992, Jesse Lingard wasn’t even born.
“Maybe you remember the hard first years of Fergie”, said Van Gaal. “They have suddenly become the favourite in the Premier League and it makes our game (next week) a big game”. If the rumours were true that United were looking to add a left back to the squad whilst Shaw recovers, Borthwick-Jackson has shown his worth and potential in the last two games.
This movement inside from wide positions has often been lacking from United this season, and Lingard rotates positions nicely with Juan Mata, who needs freedom to move laterally without robbing United of a central creator.
The Portuguese has reportedly been talking with the Premier League giants with a view to taking over at the end of the season, but Van Gaal was understandably not best pleased with this line of questioning.
He said: “We have improved our game lately, and I’m sure this is the way to get a series of good results in the next few weeks”.
“And if we didn’t see more goals that was thanks to the superb performance from both goalkeepers”.
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“We continued with our good, attacking football”.
