Manchester United injury list: Phil Jones and Ander Herrera head Louis van

Vardy now leads the way in the goal-scoring charts with 13 strikes in the league and is looking to make history as the only player to score in 11 consecutive games.

Van Gaal said: “He was already last season a very nasty player for us”.

The 19-year-old Wilson has joined second-tier Brighton for the rest of the season, leaving United with just two out-and-out strikers – Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial – in its squad.

Van Gaal has developed a reputation as a methodical manager over the course of his career and Ferdinand insisted supporters should have seen the negative style of play coming. Players of his age need to play and I can imagine that fans are saying that this is ridiculous, they have difficulties to score, but that is a short-term thought.

In the seventh minute, fans around the ground turned on their smartphone torches in a stunning visual salute to Best, who was one of British football’s greatest players and was a United icon in the No. 7 jersey.

“Given that the Man United hierarchy looked beyond the man’s CV, they knew they were getting a manager who played a precise, possession-based game. It’s not so easy to do that”.

“Normally these kind of clubs can be a long time competing, but normally at the end it’s more hard”.

United have their own eyes on the title but whereas Vardy can’t stop scoring, their problems in front of goal have been well documented. Fans on phone-ins said United had become boring, particularly considering the money the club has spent to restore its fortunes after David Moyes’ ill-fated spell in charge.

‘When it comes down to the last game you can’t pick and choose and say we want to finish first or second, it’s all or nothing. But we are not giving much away. “But Wayne is making area contribution to the team so I am satisfied with him”.

United face leaders Leicester on Saturday and a win would take them top of the Barclays Premier League table.

“We have to think what is better for a player like Wilson at the moment”.

Van Gaal confirmed to MUTV prior to Friday’s media conference that both Phil Jones and Ander Herrera will miss Saturday’s game due to injury. “We’ve proved that more than ever this season”.

“I don’t think anybody has expected that [Leicester to be top], even Leicester themselves”.