Midtjylland VS Manchester United, 2-1 — UEFA Europa League

The result has piled further pressure on Van Gaal, whose job is under threat with United already six points off the top four in the Premier League and at risk of missing out on a Champions League place for next season.

With all respect to the Danish club (sorry we just can not pronounce it), this is unacceptable and the question is: What do management keep Van Gaal? “We have to improve and then the fans shall support us again”, he said.

The midfielder was quoted as saying by Danish outlet Bold: “I think our chances are a little less. It won’t be easy but we’ll give our best”.

Elsewhere, Brighton are annoyed with Van Gaal for revealing that striker James Wilson can be taken back from his loan spell on the south coast.

“I think it’s the law of Murphy”.

“We had a lot of difficulty with him and we have to cope better with that”. He needs to be involved consistency at a meaningful level, which means competitive first team games.

“I have to make another line-up every week more or less so that isn’t contributing to much more confidence”.

The manager did admit his players were off the pace after the break.

But he added: “In the second half we didn’t win any duels, any second balls”.

But the Dutchman disagreed with the suggestion his players’ attitude was a problem.

“If you sign there you can’t say we have to be there within a couple of years”. It is not a case of attitude.

Michael Carrick & Co. slumped to humiliating defeat in Denmark on Thursday.

“It was a performance that wasn’t acceptable”, Smalling said.

“It’s just not good enough”.

“They were there for us to win the game, we should have won that”. “We go home very disappointed”.

“A lot of things are happening in the heads of the players”, Van Gaal said.

“We know what Monday is going to be – it has been shown many times. It was a big surprise”.

The former Atletico Madrid stopper has damaged his meniscus cartilage and is expected to miss the Shrewsbury Town FA Cup tie on 22 February, with manager Louis van Gaal unwilling to risk the fitness of arguably his most important player. “But still we have a chance [to go through in the tie] I think”.