When the Champions League was existing I said it was rubbish because the first and second and third and fourth team is also playing.
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Making his first Premier League start was 18-year old defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah as he slotted in the centre of defense along with compatriot Daley Blind.
Louis van Gaal has rejected the notion Marcus Rashford saved his job at Manchester United, instead insisting he deserves credit for placing his faith in the teenage striker.
Rashford’s emergence has helped ease the pressure which had been mounting on Van Gaal. Individually I was really pleased for him, obviously to make a great debut like that in the Europa League and then into the weekend he did well.
“There are of course exceptions like Martial, but that is a big exception”.
Van Gaal has given a number of top players their first chances in football over the course of his career, with the likes of Xavi, Thomas Muller and Patrick Kluivert all benefitting from the Dutchman’s tutelage.
“He could have scored 10 goals against Arsenal and it still wouldn’t have stopped him coming back into school and working hard”.
“We have closed the gap between ourselves and the top four, and so that has increased our belief”, Van Gaal said.
“To beat Watford is a fantastic result – and also with others losing”.
Things have been so good of late that even Sir Alex Ferguson has been seen belting out United’s song “Glory Glory Man Utd” in the stands with fans.
The fact that the scoreline remained goalless at the break owed much to the stubbornness of United goalkeeper David de Gea, who was called into action on many occasions to keep Odion Ighalo in particular at bay.
“Last year we played there [and drew 2-2] so it is not an easy opponent, and at home we lost last season”.
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With Darmian and Smalling returning from shoulder injuries, United’s back line is in for a serious boost. However, Phil Jones, Luke Shaw, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Will Keane are all expected to miss out.
