Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney believes the players should shoulder the responsibility for the club’s lacklustre campaign instead of manager Louis van Gaal.
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United were booed off following their most recent home game, a 1-0 defeat by Southampton last weekend, which prompted media speculation about Van Gaal’s position.
“Daley Blind’s goal? You have to sniff it and he sniffed it. It was a great goal”. We have to stand up and take criticism when it’s there.
For me, I still remain staunchly against the idea of Mourinho taking over as United boss but the longer Louis van Gaal’s reign goes on and we slip further into an acceptance of mediocrity, the more appealing Jose becomes. “Even when you’re giving 100 per cent it doesn’t always come off, and thankfully tonight it has”.
The 64-year-old admitted in the lead up to United’s fourth-round clash with the Sky Bet Championship promotion hopefuls that a loss to the Rams could spell the end of his Old Trafford tenure as supporters continue to grow tired of his perceived negative tactics.
Van Gaal, though, is not concerned about what the fans think of him, but hopes they will voice their support for the players.
“I’m not a stupid man. I’m an intelligent man and I can not predict the atmosphere on Tuesday”.
Indeed it was through Martial that Man United made sure of the victory late on as the France worldwide again beat his full-back before finding Mata, who in turn found the bottom corner to send the visitors into the next round and ease the pressure on the under-fire Van Gaal.
“It’s not easy to come here and play football, especially in the first half because they pressed a lot but I think in the first 30 to 35 minutes we were very good”, Mata continued.
Henry added that this summer more than ever before is the time to act if United are to keep pace with the other major players in the league.
“They have to give a result at that hour, with that resistance, and there are no excuses”. It’s also not the first time that it’s happened with me but I can survive.
“I would have just liked it to have stayed at that scoreline for long and let the belief grow and take it into the final 15 minutes and then you never know”.
“I am not sure it will quite be a giant-killing if we get a good result”, Clement said.
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Van Gaal’s team have been deemed boring due to their lack of goals but, after scoring three times at the iPro Stadium, he used that term sarcastically as he praised the vocal away fans.
