Carrick: Van Gaal has players’ respect

Manchester United vice-captain Michael Carrick insisted Sunday that under-fire boss Louis van Gaal still commands the loyalty of the players and it is disrespectful to suggest otherwise.

According to the Mail on Sunday “Van Gaal plans to quit Manchester United if they lose a fifth game in a row against Chelsea on December 28”.

The Potters looked comfortable as they wrapped up a 2-0 Boxing Day win thanks to goals from Bojan and Marko Arnautovic.

We’re sure this guy is frustrated with The Red Devils’ problems out on the pitch, but calling for the manager’s head using only a marker pen and what appears to be a pillow case is never, ever the answer.

“I think that’s exactly what we did in the first half. But to say we are not trying for certain people is quite disrespectful and it hurts us a lot”. He said: “When we have a midfield who are all creative players, it’s handsome”.

Tottenham Hotspur moved into the top four on Saturday by beating Norwich City 3-0, Harry Kane scoring twice, and they face another promoted team on Monday in the form of Watford.

United continued to push for a victor – Wayne Rooney volleying their best chance over with four minutes to go – but, with only three goals scored in the last three league meetings between the sides at Old Trafford, a sense of inevitability over a stalemate began to settle on the occasion in the closing stages.

“You can say I have failed if you like, but I don’t think it’s like that”, he said.

And even though most of 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 left in him when he addressed the media shortly after. Sometimes I do it by myself.

“But I feel the support of my players and my board and of course the fans shall be disappointed but that is logical after four defeats”. But it was not good enough.

“This is Manchester United we are playing for, it’s a special club and it’s a privilege to play here – we need to do better, it’s as simple as that”.

“We have to stick together and win football matches”.

Monday night will be highly essential for Gaal and his troops as the players need to step up against Chelsea which can save their manager from facing the cull.