Van Gaal unsure about Utd support after Stokes loss

Goals from Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic handed United a fourth straight loss in all competitions for the first time since 1961. He is now van Gaal’s number two who took over as caretaker manager after the departure of David Moyes, overseeing the final four games of the 2013-14 Premier League season. There was no word from the club in the immediate aftermath of the game on whether the Dutchman would remain in charge.

But Van Gaal has called on his side to return to their winning ways against Chelsea and believes United must stand by the principles the former Barcelona manager has implemented at Old Trafford.

“For me it’s much more important that people are saying that to me”, he said.

Speculation is now mounting that there will be a new manager at Old Trafford sooner rather than later, with the name of recently-sacked Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho on everyone’s lips as a possible replacement.

Asked whether he had the support of the board, Van Gaal snapped back: “What they have said I don’t have to say to you because it’s not any of your business”.

“The club doesn’t have to fire or sack me”.

“Sometimes I do that by myself, but I am the one who wants to speak first with the board of Manchester United and my members of staff and my players, not with you”. “But I think so”.

The Boxing Day loss to Stoke on Saturday put vast pressure on Gaal who stated that he has the option to quit United after a disastrous spell in this present scenario.

“For me, I look at myself at what I can do better as an individual”.

“There is no disguising the fact that we are in a very bad period, the worst I have known since I became Manchester United manager”.

“It’s more hard because I’m also part of the four matches we have lost and so people are looking at me”, he said. When the Reds had possession, they did very little with it; which made the Stoke City fans chant “boring, boring, boring”.

At half-time, I said to my players we have nothing to lose, and then you can cope better with that in the second half.

Giggs has been heavily linked with the Swansea job and could well be subject of a fresh approach by Liberty Stadium bosses should United’s hierarchy go for an outsider when van Gaal eventually leaves.

“It was a fantastic performance against a good Arsenal team – that’s a big complement to the players”, manager Ronald Koeman said.

Rather than his usual ebullient self, Van Gaal cut a forlorn figure at times as what he had described as a “must-win” game turned into a nightmare.