United’s Lingard picks up injury against Bournemouth

Michael Carrick was left “bitterly disappointed” by Manchester United’s shock 2-1 loss away to Bournemouth on Saturday.

The problems are stacking up for under-pressure United manager Louis van Gaal in his second season in charge of England’s biggest club. United did lose to Bournemouth, but they did so while missing half of their first team and most of their backups. There has been talk of training being too intensive.

First it was criticism of Manchester United’s playing style.

“To be honest I didn’t really enjoy to play when Van Gaal was there”.

United were hoping to turn the page on their mid-week Champions League exit, but Junior Stanislas put Bournemouth in front straight from a corner after 100 seconds and although Marouane Fellaini equalised, former United trainee King punished slack defending at a corner to claim a 54th-minute victor.

With leaders Leicester City entertaining Chelsea on Monday night, Arsenal will take over pole position on Sunday provided they take all three points from their visit to bottom of the table Aston Villa.

Bournemouth’s victory came on the back of last week’s win at Chelsea and manager Eddie Howe admitted the club’s season has been transformed. “He’s (Van Gaal) gone, a dead man. Both of them will be gone, it’s a question of when”.

“Harry wanted to play, there was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to play”. ‘I think the hardest thing to do is to coach scoring goals, creativity and to have players who are off the cuff.

The Red Devils have been strongly linked with Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, who’s contract expires this summer, while free agent Carlo Ancelotti has also been linked with the job to replace van Gaal.

Striker Glenn Murray added: “When you come across Man United and you see a back four like that, I think you nearly have to fancy your chances”.

However, he will have little time to wait for that to happen as his side host Norwich City at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon looking to get back to winning ways. I felt we had been playing really well and people were probably growing exhausted of me saying how well we were playing without winning. They get lulled into this (false of security).

United fielded a defence of Guillermo Varela, Paddy McNair, Daley Blind and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, giving a fillip to Bournemouth before the game, but Carrick insists United have enough squad depth to challenge for the title.