Van Gaal: I’m under pressure

With just two days to recover both physically and mentally after the Stoke loss, Van Gaal has called on his players to be fearless against the Premier League champions, who are unbeaten in five against United.

“I can also quit by myself but that is something I speak about with [Manchester United chairman] Ed Woodward and not with you”.

Manchester United vice-captain Michael Carrick insisted yesterday that under-fire boss Louis van Gaal still commands the loyalty of the players and it is disrespectful to suggest otherwise.

United, down to sixth in the Premier League, face struggling champions Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday and few would be surprised if Van Gaal was no longer in charge.

He put that down to his players’ fear of failure and conceded that United must somehow find the courage to overcome that if they are to arrest their slide. “This situation is hard for us but I think we can go and win game by game and finish the league in the top four”.

“I am not so interested in public announcements”.

We gave a very bad goal away and then they score out of a free-kick indirect.

The defeat means United have lost four matches in a row for the first time since October-November 1961.

After playing in the early game on Boxing Day and kicking-off at 5.30pm against Chelsea on Monday, they have been given a little over 48 hours to prepare for the visit of Guus Hiddink’s side – who have won one and drawn one since Jose Mourinho was sacked. We can’t hide from it, we’re not going to hide from it. That is how it is and we all need to be better.

Asked if was the man to motivate the player’s, Van Gaal said: “That is now the big issue, I have tried to do everything but the pressure shall be higher and higher with every match”.

“No, I don’t think so because I have seen that also in my other jobs”, he said when asked if he expected his team to be mentally stronger.

“We didn’t dare to play the football that we can and I have analysed it as a effect of the circumstances: the pressure that you have to cope with as a player group, as an individual player”, he said.

“I feel the support of my players and my board”.

“No”, he said. “Because for me it’s much more important that people are saying that to me”.

Who is out for Manchester United for the crunch clash against Chelsea?

And following his sides 2-0 defeat at Stoke on Saturday thanks to first-half goals from Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic, Van Gaal’s future is surely hanging in the balance. “I don’t care about an apology I just want to get on with my life”, said Rhodri.