Another loss and Van Gaal quits

Embattled Manchester United coach Louis van Gaal may have to clear his desk for the timid play in their recent outing against Stoke City, losing 2-0.

Giggs cut a forlorn figure as he sat on the sidelines next to van Gaal as United crashed to their fourth league defeat on the trot, the first time since the early 1960s.

Van Gaal suggested it is sometimes better to walk first in hard situations instead of waiting to be sacked, and there is no doubt Manchester United find themselves in a hard situation.

He said: “That is also something that I don’t have to say but I have said already in former press conferences that it is not always the club that has to fire or sack me”.

Van Gaal said following the defeat to Stoke City that he felt the support of everyone but refused to confirm whether he would be in charge of the club for Monday’s clash with Chelsea.

In the English Premier League, Manchester United travelled to Stoke looking for their first win in 7 games.

But Van Gaal has called on his side to return to their winning ways against Chelsea and believes United must stand by the principles the former Barcelona manager has implemented at Old Trafford. Have your say in the comments section below.

United were woeful against Stoke and they let down all of the 2,500 travelling fans.

He added: “It’s more hard because I’m also part of the four matches that we have lost”.

And even though most of the the 2,557 United supporters who had made the trip down the M6 clapped the players off at the final whistle, Van Gaal did not seem to have much fight in him when he addressed the media shortly after.

“No, I don’t think so because I have seen that also in my other jobs”, he said when asked if he expected his team to be mentally stronger.

“The circumstances now play a bigger role and will in the next game also”.

It may well read too presumptuous but, Louis van Gaal’s short-reign at Old Trafford is likely to end pretty soon. It is very hard to do that in just two days but we shall try.

“We didn’t dare to play the football that we can and I have analysed it as a effect of the circumstances: the pressure that you have to cope with as a player group, as an individual player”, he said. “I am able to deal with the pressure; the players still have to perform”.

Shane Long struck twice in the second half, either side of a 69th-minute Jose Fonte header, as Ronald Koeman’s side ended a five-game winless streak in fine style.

If the Dutchman does depart then Mourinho, who left struggling Chelsea on December 17, would be among the favourites to take over.