Man United’s injuries pile up to give Van Gaal more problems

‘Rio Ferdinand said to be playing in the Europa League is an embarrassment for a club like Manchester United. Van Gaal said: “We are now in the Europa League and we have to win the Europa League but that is not easy”.

He asserted that his side are doing everything possible, but added that the problem for United was that the expectations are extremely high.

Winger Jesse Lingard has urged his Manchester United team-mates to ignore the criticism coming their way and focus on the rest of the season after crashing out of the Champions League.

“Man United have a lot of good players, there’s no getting away from that, I just don’t think they’re good enough for Man United, I really don’t”, Keane told ITV.

“I believe Basti has experienced so much in his career that he can cope with this easily”, said Draxler.

“For me, the Euro League is a big competition and we will try to win it”.

Barring a few exceptions, Manchester United have been regulars in the knockout rounds of the Champions League for close to two decades but now they will trudge out in Europe’s second tier competition in February. That’s the past. You have to analyse the club now and you can not compare it with 10 years ago.

Nine players – including captain Wayne Rooney – are out of Saturday’s game at Bournemouth, so Varela and Borthwick-Jackson could start against Eddie Howe’s team.

You can lose and you can win in sport, and you have to accept that, as a player and as a manager.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss is now being tasked with delivering United’s first title since 2013 and could face the chop if he fails to do so, say the Star.

Among fans, however, there is a widely-held perception that United’s style of play is too negative under the Dutchman, while questions are being asked about the quality of the players Van Gaal has brought to the club.

It is understood that the dressing-room was no warmer than usual for Bundesliga games at Wolfsburg’s home ground, but United were unhappy with the stifling conditions.

“Just? You think it’s just?” He would point to the league table and say that three points off the top is better than anything David Moyes managed.

They join long-term casualties Luke Shaw, who is recovering from a broken leg, and Antonio Valencia, who has an ankle injury, while Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones are also unavailable.