United plead for teenager Rashford to be left in peace

The 18-year-old’s impressive display at Old Trafford earned him a score of 8.67 and a place up front in the Team of the Week alongside Crystal Palace hitman Connor Wickham.

Van Gaal, meanwhile, is credited with kick-starting the careers players like Clarence Seedorf, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Thomas Muller and has handed out debuts to five United youngsters – including Marcus Rashford – in the last two games.

Protesting against what he felt was a dive by an Arsenal player, the Dutchman marched up to fourth official Mike Dean on the Old Trafford touchline and to illustrate his point he fell flat on his back.

Rashford had been performing well in the Uefa Youth League earlier this season, but even Van Gaal has admitted to a degree of surprise at how well he has adapted to the senior team.

“First, I think that the media have to let him in peace and rest”, Van Gaal told his pre-game press conference at United’s Carrington training base. I thought today they would come here with an opportunity to put a marker on the wall and say, ‘we’re back in this race.’ And they’ve come back here today and been so insipid, so weak and pussyfooted. He is a very modest guy, so I don’t think that shall be a problem.

“There are still 11 games to go but, as things stand, I do not watch them and see a team that has what it takes to win the title”.

And while Rashford was the beneficiary of an extraordinary injury list, Van Gaal didn’t have to start him against Arsenal.

“Part of my philosophy is that my players have to think on the pitch and not the manager, but I want to help them”.

“But he needs to keep calm because I think he has a bright future coming up ahead of him – he needs to keep playing his football”.

“The key factor is always that you dare to play and we can play very good, but we have to move the ball more quickly and we have to switch the game more frequently”.