Whatever the reason for the club’s troubles this season, the team is a stark contrast to the superb United teams fans were used to under legendary manager Alex Ferguson, and manager Louis van Gaal’s job is far from being secure.
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Liverpool take a 2-0 lead to Old Trafford for the return leg, but Sturridge feels that they must have the same mental edge which led to the victory in Anfield on Thursday.
United midfielder Marouane Fellaini knows that United must improve if they are to progress in the FA Cup, he said: “We didn’t do (enough) against Liverpool, but now we have to focus on the next game”.
Louis van Gaal joined Manchester United in 2014 on a three year contract with big expectations.
“I think it [my style at Manchester United] is working”. “You’ve seen it with Manchester City and Pep Guardiola and City have been awful, apart from beating [Aston] Villa”.
Of Schweinsteiger’s display, he said: “I think he did fantastically, but of course he played 15 minutes”.
Mata speaking to MUTV after the disappointing performance against Liverpool said “it was not a good performance and a good result obviously” as the Liverpool players just totally played the United players of the pitch.
“In the second half we changed the shape and had much more of the game but we didn’t create many chances and they scored another cheap goal”. Out of the three English teams competing in the Europa cup competition, Liverpool were undoubtedly the best team on the night.
“We are in three competitions and after the defeat in Midjytlland you have sacked me already and then we are standing up, and then we are in the next round and it is possible also against Liverpool”.
United have also struggled to score at the other end as their 37 league goals are only two more than 14-placed Bournemouth, but without De Gea in goal, United’s cause would nearly certainly be a lost one.
“It is only half-time so we have to make sure in the second half at Old Trafford we play like that again because it will be very hard”. It is not impossible. And I don’t want to hide (behind) the injuries or something like that.
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The loss at Anfield has made it odds-against United reaching the quarter-finals of the competition in next Thursday’s home leg and keeping alive a potential route back into the Champions League.
