Van Gaal’s big mistake

United have scored only 22 goals in their 19 Premier League games but Van Gaal claimed he had been given support to turn things around by his backroom team.

Manchester United recorded their first victory in eight league matches against Swansea on Saturday, with Wayne Rooney scoring an ingenious back heel goal to gain the important three points.

Rooney’s 238th goal for the club moved him ahead of legend Denis Law in the scoring charts and could not have come at a better time for his manager.

United have only managed to score 11 goals in their last 15 matches in all competitions and have since been knocked out of the Champions League and dropped out of the top four in the league as a result.

Asked for his view on Rooney’s United achievement, Van Gaal said: “It’s awesome”.

“We created a number of chances and scored two fantastic goals”. I hope it’s a fantastic starting point for the team and also for him. He wants to play, but I can imagine that he can’t always play.

The Frenchman then turned provider for Wayne Rooney, after Swansea had equalised, as he burst down the left-hand side and crossed for the skipper to flick home.

“There are now players in my selection who want to play, but they can not play because I choose another player”.

“The first half was a better half than the second”, he insisted.

There is still unrest with fans but Saturday’s victory in United’s first game of 2016 has brought a much more positive feeling around the club.

“We played a risky system because we had three defenders on the halfway line so a lot of space behind”, Van Gaal added.

“It’s incredible that you can perform the game plan like we have done, in a risky style, under this pressure”, van Gaal was quoted as saying by the BBC.

The atmosphere was funereal at times, save for chants from the away end about Van Gaal’s fragile position.

“I am very happy for the players because they had to play under big pressure and now we have won”.

“Of course, we are looking always for solutions in the team”.

“In 90 minutes you have to show it and against the resistance of the opponent, under the pressure of the environment but also under the pressure that you put on yourself”.

“Jonjo has a terrific ability”.