United players can’t handle pressure – Van Gaal
They (Manchester United) have failed to win any of their last six games in all competitions, securing back to back loses in the past 2 weeks against Bournemouth and Norwich City.
Van Gaal is under intense pressure amid widespread speculation over his future and intimated he could resign following the defeat at the Britannia Stadium.
Memphis Depay’s embarrassing gaffe handed Bojan Krkic the chance to put Stoke ahead and he did not pass on the opportunity, stroking the ball into the net from Glen Johnson’s pass, and when Marko Arnautovic sent a fierce drive into the top corner in the 26th minute, it was game over for Van Gaal’s men.
Louis Van Gaal has reportedly been given the next two fixtures to improve results or lose his job.
Hughes will hope for another strong performance from his side when they host Everton, while Manchester United will look to break its winless streak at home against Chelsea on Monday.
While refusing to confirm or deny whether he has received assurances from the United board, he did state: “I have said already in former press conferences that it is not always that the club has to fire or sack me”.
Van Gaal rejected the idea that it would be better if Woodward backed him with a public statement. “For me it’s much more important that people are saying that to me”, he said. “I feel the support of my players and my board”.
“It’s another situation, we have lost the fourth game, we will have to wait and see”, he added with a lingering glare towards the reporter.
“It is very hard as I’m also part of four losses and I have to cope with that and I have to manage that”.
A squad containing so many stars should not – in theory – be so mentally fragile, but Van Gaal believes it can happen to the best of players.
The 20-times English champions have traditionally been associated with swashbuckling attacking football, but apart from a brief flurry after the break when Van Gaal brought his captain Wayne Rooney off the bench, they were woefully short of belief or leadership.