Manchester United have been rounding off their preparations for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, with manager Louis van Gaal aiming to bring his first piece of silverware to Old Trafford.
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The 2016 Emirates FA Cup Final between Crystal Palace and Manchester United will kick off at 5.30pm on Saturday 21 May at Wembley Stadium connected by EE.
Van Gaal, who took charge in May 2014 and guided United to fourth in his first season, is under similar pressure after his side finished fifth in the Premier League and dropped out of the Champions League in the group stages.
“I think the interest of the club is much more important and the interest of the fans is much more important than the manager”, he said. The FA Cup is the top prize a club like Palace can realistically hope for and I think that will really inspire these players.
“We have selected this hotel because you can always see Wembley Stadium so it’s always in their minds, it’s psychological”, he told MUTV in an exclusive interview on the eve of the final.
Rojo is set to come into the team at the expense of Cameron Borthwick-Jackson who is likely to be dropped for the more experienced player.
Yet Ferdinand suggests Van Gaal is wrong in that assessment, as he argues United simply have to qualify for Europe’s elite competition every season.
“We’ve seen in the past sides have got into Europe and struggled because of the extra games but with the money now squads can be big enough that clubs should be able to cope”.
The chance for silverware will be somewhat spoiled because of the team’s 5th place finish in the Premier League, but it would be a small consolation nonetheless.
“We are not looking to play the occasion”.
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Memphis Depay could still have a big future at Manchester United despite being left out of the travelling party for the FA Cup final, according to ex-striker Dwight Yorke. “In Turkey, you know the fans are very loud and noisy all day and I thought it was good to do that and the result was very positive also”. Yeah, it was easy for me maybe to stay and win some trophies. “I have 27 players”.
