“That’s why it is very important to beat Wolfsburg”, said the Dutchman, “we can not depend on the result of PSV”.
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From their last 10 games in all competitions, United have drawn seven (one stalemate subsequently became a penalty shootout defeat to Middlesbrough).
Goals from Juan Mata and Chris Smalling helped them come from behind to beat Wolfsburg 2-1 in the reverse fixture.
Van Gaal, facing criticism for his team’s struggles in front of goal, said it was United’s biggest game since he took charge 18 months ago.
United will be without captain Wayne Rooney (ankle), Morgan Schneiderlin (hip) and Ander Herrera (hamstring) for their crucial clash. Too often this side – which is full of quality of players – has overwhelming dominance of the possession, but when it comes to scoring or creating clear cut chances they often fall short. That’s why we have that belief. “We have to play against a very good team, but still we can do that”.
All the talk among United supporters – raised on a tradition of exciting, uninhibited attacking football – is of the team’s lack of goals under what they believe to be manager Louis van Gaal’s sterile conservative approach. “Unfortunately it was not enough for a point, but I am sure that when we play at home we can win against them”.
“I think he is very talented”. I didn’t expect that.
Louis van Gaal has criticised the performance of midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger after Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with West Ham.
So already in December, United face their most important game of the season and they will be without four key members for the game.
But their manager is confident his players will find their scoring boots again at the Volkswagen Arena, as he hopes to avoid the team crashing out of the groups for just the fourth time in history.
“We are playing to win”, Hecking said, dismissing suggestions of a trying to go for a draw. The other game in the group sees PSV Eindhoven take on CSKA Moscow with a win for the Dutch side seeing them progress into the knockout rounds.
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After groundbreaking claims from new Valencia boss Gary Neville that Cristiano Ronaldo would make United a bit more good, Schweinsteiger agrees that United are simply lacking the “attitude” offered by the top strikers in the game. “Maybe that will be better for us”.
