This is why exiting the Champions League will help Van Gaal’s side

Louis van Gaal’s odds on being the next Premier League manager to leave his position have tumbled dramatically following a nightmare week for Manchester United.

Frustrated boss Van Gaal blasted the sloppy defending that led to Bournemouth’s 2-1 victory, insisting United must heed a “strong lesson” from Dean Court defeat.

Van Gaal’s side automatically entered into the Europa League, a competition which the Dutchman feels is a must win.

Certainly, Van Gaal’s Ajax and Bayern Munich played with greater energy and speed.

“Paddy McNair had cramp, he didn’t play so much this season and with Jesse Lingard it is a second time in a short time so we will have to see”, he said after the game. Not now, not after the way United failed to qualify from a Champions League group they should have been able to negotiate in blindfolds.

He added: “Of course I am concerned because we have lost two matches in a row and that is not a usual thing”.

“We are very disappointed”, caretaker Swansea manager Alan Curtis said.

After the game they were a point above Chelsea in 14th place and Bournemouth are playing with verve and confidence.

“It’s been a tough one to take, very disappointing week”.

“I mean, we’ve had a few injuries, I’m not making any excuses but if you look at the injuries”.

PSV and Wolfsburg have qualified for the knock-out stage, and Man United will compete in the Europa League. “I have to say that (18-year-old left back) Cameron Borthwick-Jackson did very well”. But that won’t stop a deluge of criticism toward Van Gaal.

We are a big club, we want to win trophies and the fans want to see players score goals. “I’ve practised on that (corner) drill and missed the chance every time but I’m glad it went in today”.

United’s defeat, coming off the back of their Champions League reverse at VfL Wolfsburg, leaves them fourth in the table on 29 points, three behind leaders Manchester City. Now, it has just completed back-to-back wins over two of European football’s biggest teams. “We have to prepare for this match in the same way as we always do”. Only now it is more hard for players to do that.

The Cherries won 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium – and deserved to claim the spoils – but, afterwards, Van Gaal said he was proud of how his injury-ravaged team performed just days after being eliminated from the Champions League.

“I could say different reasons, I could talk a lot, but at the end of the day it’s about the results”. We didn’t do that in the first half but we had the feeling in the players, the management and the staff that we could win this game.