Van Gaal: My Job Is Secure

This is Van Gaal’s seven-match winless run in which United have been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League and fallen out of the Premier League’s top four.

The under-fire Dutchman, 64, looked like a condemned man throughout United’s sorry 2-0 loss to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday and then in the inquest that took place afterwards.

Stoke came out of the blocks for the match much stronger than their opponents, and forced their visitors back into their own half on a blustery, cold day that made it hard to play a possession-based game.

The former Ajax manager then raised the possibility that he could walk away from the club.

“I do my utmost to find solutions to cope with the pressure, but at the end my players have to do that by themselves, and I help them”.

It appeared that Van Gaal himself may have asked for this game and the next to turn things round, although he was left admitting that his team “didn’t dare to play our football”.

Van Gaal called on Rooney at the start of the second half, replacing Depay with his captain. But a combination of poor finishing and Jack Butland’s saves prevented United from leaving Stoke with anything. 2-0 to Stoke as Van Gaal and his coaching staff sunk into their seats.

“I have received [the club’s backing] all the time but we have lost so there is a new situation”, said Van Gaal. I suspect majority have that.

“You’ve got to be courageous and confident that you can go toe-to-toe and we’ve shown that once again”.

“It was another tremendous performance from us, and at key times a very professional one, I would suggest”, he said.

While Manchester City are thought to be Guardiola’s next destination, pundits have urged United to lobby for Guardiola. There were four different City scorers: Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure, Wilfried Bony and Kevin de Bruyne.

Christian Benteke’s second-half goal sealed the points at Anfield as Leicester were handed their first league defeat since September, and only their second of the season.

Troy Deeney, with a penalty, and Odion Ighalo put Watford 2-1 ahead after Costa had given Chelsea a 32nd-minute lead, but the Spain striker equalised in the 65th minute from Willian’s pass. Kane now has 27 goals in 2015, surpassing Teddy Sheringham’s previous club record of 26 in a calendar year.

Crystal Palace drew 0-0 with Bournemouth, moving above Manchester United into fifth spot.

Managerless Swansea City won for the first time since October, beating West Bromwich Albion 1-0 to climb out of the relegation zone above Norwich and Newcastle United.

Stoke ended the day just three points back in 11th place, on goal difference behind Everton and West Ham.