Louis van Gaal: ‘Angry United fans should boo me, not the team’

Louis van Gaal has told Manchester United fans to direct their frustration at him, not his players, while answering criticism of his side’s lack of entertainment.

Schneiderlin, 25, missed Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League win over CSKA Moscow through illness and is a doubt for the clash with Tony Pulis’ side at the weekend. We, not only the players, but the manager and his staff. “I think we are improving every day and you can see that in the results we have made”.

So it’s no surprise that the majority of transfer rumours surrounding the Old Trafford club in the run-up to Christmas and the January transfer window are about attacking players. “And against teams like Manchester United, teams do raise their game and I’m sure we’ll raise our game, it’s an easy thing to say but subconsciously you do”.

Valdes meanwhile has not featured for the club this season, following a bust-up after Van Gaal claimed the goalkeeper refused to feature in the Under-21 team.

“Nevertheless, CSKA tried this tactic but only created one chance so I was very happy with our defensive organisation and very happy with the way we attacked”.

With that said though he knows it will be a hard game as you would expect, so we will certainly have to be at our best to get that win that we are after.

Van Gaal’s charges appear to have an over-reliance on new man Anthony Martial in the final third, with captain and usual attacking talisman Wayne Rooney struggling to consistently display his best form.

He finally broke his barren spell with a goal against CSKA Moscow midweek, however the feeling is still that Rooney no longer has the ability to lead the Red Devils attack.

“And against teams like Manchester United, teams do raise their game”.

Last season the Baggies played in a rigid 5-4-1 formation and won all three points after Chris Brunt’s free-kick struck Jonas Olsson and beat David de Gea. We have to be respectful of that and also be aware of the unsafe players at their disposal’.

“For me, what he (Scholes) said doesn’t bother me”, said Carrick, who played alongside Scholes in the United midfield for six years.