We threw away expensive points at Newcastle – Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal says Manchester United’s 3-3 draw with Newcastle United on Tuesday night felt like a defeat.

“I’m here to play and I have played well in the last few games”, he said. “But we threw it away, we should have finished it much earlier”. No. Unlucky in the decisions of the referee and the deflected shot, and not finishing the chances.

Referee pointed to the spot after Chris Smalling wrestled Mitrovic to the ground in the second half with the visitors leading 2-1.

John added that Van Gaal can be a “weird guy the way he behaves with the press and in the after-match comments that he makes”.

“We have given it away – I have told that to my players”. “It is a duel I think and you can not decide who is worse”.

We have scored three goals and have one point, nothing more.

Newcastle United forward Aleksandar Mitrovic believes people are “crazy” to criticise Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney. “It does feel like a defeat”, Rooney said. “We have to keep trying to get that balance right and keep creating chances, scoring goals and keeping them out”.

And Rooney knows that United will have to be at their best if they are to win on the weekend, with chances like the ones against the Magpies needed to be taken. Maybe then some young players will be proud to play against me.

Newcastle manager Steve McClaren hailed the passion of the home fans.

We are always attacking.

“You don’t realise what an enormous effort that is to come back from 2-0 and 3-2 and to perform as we did”.

“It must have been a great game for the neutrals – it was a heart attack for the coaches”.

“Asked what was going through his mind when the ball dropped to him on the edge of the penalty area, he said: “‘I’m going to hit this as hard as I can and see what happens’, really. It is the best feeling in the world.

However, Rooney’s second of the game with 11 minutes left on the clock looked to have won it before Dummett’s last-gasp intervention.

“It is ridiculous and the team could have gone under after that, but credit to them – they kept fighting”.