Meanwhile, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, whose side is featuring for the first time in Premier League, admitted that it was a great win for the club.
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For now, United’s injury woes may be the only saving grace in terms of defending Van Gaal and the club’s poor run of form, which the chief hopes to put an end to before 2016. They’re still in the cup.
“Yes, I have to say that in the second half, we played less but that is also I think the reason that we could not dominate the game because they always could have escaped through their striker Joshua King”.
“For us, it’s just been a brilliant week”.
“I don’t think they have that aura anymore”, Francis said. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Louis van Gaal’s odds on being the next Premier League manager to leave his position have tumbled dramatically following a nightmare week for Manchester United.
“Again, two set pieces like against Wolfsburg”, he said.
“So as soon as we have seen that, and obviously on the back of the confidence of last week [beating Chelsea] – and they had a very hard game in Europe this week – I think all the factors, we really fancied ourselves”. “Things like that help you so much and for that time and that 90 minutes when I was on the pitch, it was a really good feeling. For me the most important thing is the commitment of my players to perform as we have agreed and I can only tell they want to do that”.
His resources have been so stretched that Van Gaal was forced to give full debuts to youngsters Guillermo Varela and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson at full-back.
“But even when Wayne Rooney comes back he’s got to do a lot more”.
The United boss also highlighted David de Gea’s misjudgement in somehow allowing Stanislas’ early corner to float straight in over his head. To an extent that shows that Van Gaal has been dealt a bum hand, but the decision by the Dutchman to trim back his squad in the summer has never looked more ill-judged.
The Red Devils were almost gifted an equaliser in the 17th minute when Anthony Martial picked up a loose ball, before firing a low effort just wide of the post.
Bournemouth squandered a chance to grab a third goal in the 73rd minute when Glen Murray skipped past McNair, before blazing over from six-yards out.
And United soon made them pay as Depay was played in by a typically astute Michael Carrick pass, controlling on his chest before forcing another smart stop out of Boruc – but the Polish goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent Fellaini eventually bundling home the rebound.
Swansea, who have won only once in 12 league games, remain a point above the relegation places.
“At half-time I spoke about how we had to do it in the second half”.
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CITY ESCAPES: Yaya Toure scored an injury-time victor to secure a 2-1 victory over Swansea after a frantic finish at the Etihad Stadium.
