Louis van Gaal says he could quit Manchester United by himself

United have now gone seven games without victory in all competitions – their worst run since 1989-90 – and speculation is rife that Van Gaal will pay for their slump with his job. They scored from a free-kick and then it was half-time.

More rumour and debate about Van Gaal’s position will come in the next couple of days, particularly if United lose to Chelsea on Monday, but the embattled Dutchman has his iron shield up and is ready for what comes his way.

Check out Van Gaal’s interesting comments in the clip below.

A clamour has begun for Wales and Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs to replace under-fire Louis van Gaal as Manchester United manager.

He put that down to his players’ fear of failure and conceded that United must somehow find the courage to overcome that if they are to arrest their slide. That Mourinho has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford adds another intriguing sub-plot to the game and the United players know they must step up.

“He has this talent but he’s also now having a confrontation with the demands of the Premier League, which are much higher in intensity of the game during 90 minutes. I am the one who wants to speak first with the board of Manchester United and with my members of staff and players – and not with you”.

The 20-times English champions have traditionally been associated with swashbuckling attacking football, but apart from a brief flurry after the break when Van Gaal brought his captain Wayne Rooney off the bench, they were woefully short of belief or leadership.

And when asked if he would be in-charge for United’s next game at home to Chelsea on Monday, he replied: “You will have to wait and see. Sometimes I do it by myself”, he said. “You can say I failed but I don’t think it is like that”. “I said we have to play football at half-time and you have seen the difference, but that is not enough, you have to start in the first minute”. Guus Hiddink’s first match in charge ended in a 2-2 draw at home to high-flying Watford after Oscar missed a second-half penalty that could have secured back-to-back wins.

On a rare day when every Premier League team was in action, there was a bigger humbling for Arsenal, which missed the chance to go top after being thrashed 4-0 by Southampton.