Like Van Gaal, Rooney has received plenty of criticism this season after netting only twice in the Premier League.
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Though they have played a weaker schedule for the most part, there are important things to keep in mind. Lewis and Lee combined to score 44 points while no other Card had more than seven points.
Manchester United are now in a mess, with a six-match win-less streak putting Van Gaal’s job on the line. The 52-year-old said: “The team I played in early on was probably the last one that was booed, when I first broke in”.
Premier League Boxing Day 2016 schedule
Liverpool have only won three of nine Premier League games since Jurgen Klopp took over the reins at Anfield from Brendan Rodgers. At the start of the season the odds on Leicester winning were 5000/1 amazingly they have now been shortened to just 10/1.
After the Norwich game he admitted he was “worried” about his future, then walked out of his pre-Stoke press conference after less than five minutes, criticizing journalists for suggesting he was in danger of following Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho in being sacked before 2015 was finished.
Manchester United lose again! No escape for Louis van Gaal this time?
The Dutchman stormed out of his pre-match press conference but confirmed that the players available has not changed from last time out.
There have already been calls for Van Gaal’s sacking, but on Saturday, he threatened to head them off by choosing to essentially fire himself.
“As a group of players we know we can do better and we’re all working together to try to come up with the best solution to help us win football matches”.
“Of course we haven’t won games in the last few weeks and it’s normal the confidence will be a bit lower”.
United desperately need a result on Boxing day in order to get back on track in the race for the Champions League places having fallen nine points behind leaders Leicester City.
“I am always very faithful [to the players], and I see also how they have trained”, he said.
Rooney explained that it does not feel nice to be criticised every week adding that it becomes tough for players to deal with such things.
The Red Devils skipper has been in poor form throughout the season and Van Gaal has finally lost patience with a player he deemed undroppable at the start of his spell as Old Trafford boss.
“No”, he said. “Because for me it’s much more important that people are saying that to me. The only way to work through is to stick together”. “That was my message and not that I am hurt, because I am used to that”.
United lacked the ideas or firepower to trouble Stoke and the knives will be out for Van Gaal ahead of the Chelsea game on Monday. “Jack Butland produced an outstanding save at a big moment in the game but after that we were able to see it out quite comfortably”. “It’s the fundamentals we need to get right”, said Rooney. They didn’t dare to play football’.
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“First half I thought we were excellent, always looked a threat and whenever we regained possession we were on the front foot looking to be positive, getting in behind their back four and causing them untold problems”.
