The Red Devils host West Ham United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday before attempting to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday.
Advertisement
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has slammed Manchester United for their abject performance against Liverpool in the Europa League and has taken aim at Louis van Gaal.
“We have played against West Brom and lost, and Liverpool and lost this week, and when you come back from that I think it is wonderful, and fantastic spirit in the team, in spite of a very nasty week”.
“I think the manager is good, the players are good, they play it on the ground and don’t launch it”.
With us out of the FA cup in this weekend’s fixtures, we get to rest key players and keep the moral high between the team and players.
They played like a United team of old intensity-wise.
The paper claims that ‘United have managed one or zero shots on target in no fewer than eight of their past 30 Barclays Premier League matches and in six of the past 21.
“We can recover and focus on the game but I am sure Manchester United players are fit enough to play two games in a week”.
“It will be hard at Old Trafford”.
Van Gaal has one year remaining on his contract but there has been growing speculation that Jose Mourinho will be in the Old Trafford hot seat next season following his sacking from Chelsea in December.
Five-times European champions Liverpool have hit a patch of good form in recent weeks with Thursday’s victory coming on the back of three successive wins in the Premier League.
Van Gaal put United’s inconsistencies down to a rotation policy borne out of necessity and remains upbeat about his chances, despite the rising pressure and Jose Mourinho constantly being linked. David de Gea was fantastic, but I think it was a cheap penalty.
“But it would be unsafe, suicidal, if we approach the game like “they are playing badly, we are playing well, and we are going to cruise it”.
“As a human being I could really celebrate and say it is the best and greatest ever but I don’t want to set a limit for them, I don’t know how strong they can be”.
Advertisement
Van Gaal believed referee Carlos Velasco Carballo’s decision to award a penalty for Memphis Depay’s foul on Nathaniel Clyne was questionable and felt Liverpool might have been penalised for offside in the build-up to Firmino’s goal, although he conceded Jurgen Klopp’s side were worthy winners.
