United Go Top After Dramatic 2-1 Win At Watford

Van Gaal will now assess a depleted team ahead of Wednesday’s home Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven. With their captain absent, Martial missing, only for Herrera and Jones to leave the field with injuries it seemed like it was all going wrong for United. Rooney is ill and illness is a matter of days, not weeks.

“You expect more from Schweinsteiger, a player who’s won the World Cup and the Champions League”. He is at home.

“These are the rules, so nobody can say to me it wasn’t a penalty or a lousy tackle”. It is not so heavy but we have to wait and see.

Does this prove that this side is now capable of battling for the Premier League title like the old United did so regularly?

That means a win for United over PSV would seal qualification for the knockout rounds, but Mata has his sights set higher in a week that also sees Van Gaal’s team travel to surprise Premier League leaders Leicester City.

A lively display, however, was capped off by an excellent finish in the first half as Depay struck a sweet volley into the top corner to give United the lead.

In defence, van Gaal has been using his options well so far.

“A fantastic pass from Ander Herrera”. He finished it very well.

Immediately after the goal, van Gaal flicked the switch, and United saw out the 2-1 win with the cautious possession game they had played for 87 minutes, and seemingly for most of this season. He told BT Sport, (via Espn FC), “I was amazed by the spirit in our team”.

“I think also this role is the best role for him; he played it also in the world championship for me when Robin van Persie or Arjen Robben was injured, so I knew that he could do this”. The first impression is not that they are heavy injuries but we have to play already on Wednesday and that is the problem. Watford were awarded a penalty for Rojo’s challenge on Ighalo from behind and Troy Deeney slotted the spot-kick with confidence. The former Crystal Palace midfielder has been given just eight minutes of top flight action since rejoining the Hornets on a permanent basis on transfer deadline day.

Watford Manager Quique Sanchez Flores said: “We deserved a draw in the second half”.

Watford put up a fight in the second half but the Red’s firm attitude didn’t let them fall behind in the game.

In a manner of which Alex Ferguson would have been proud, United went straight up the other end and snatched all three points, as Deeney went from hero to villain and turned the ball into his own net following a Bastian Schweinsteiger cross.