Wasteful United Held By PSV

Manchester United can secure their spot in the last-16 of the Champions League if they beat PSV Eindhoven at Old Trafford.

“Of course I’m anxious”, said Van Gaal, who described United’s display as “average” in the first half and no better in the second. “We are waiting that we are scoring in the first half, but it doesn’t happen”.

Rooney accepts that getting a result in Germany against Wolfsburg is not an easy task for the Red Devils’ final group stage game, but the striker is sure his side are good enough to do the business at the Volkswagen Arena.

If PSV win their game against CSKA Moscow in the next round, and Manchester United fail to win their match, they will drop down into the Europa League.

Louis van Gaal rang the changes in the second half, bringing on Marouane Fellaini and Ashley Young for Bastian Schweinsteiger and Memphis Depay.

The hosts were unable to create any more clear-cut openings in the final 15 minutes as PSV held on for a crucial point to keep them in the hunt for qualification from Group B.

Van Gaal remains a big fan of Depay, who scored 22 league goals for PSV last season, but the Dutchman wants his compatriot to put together a string of good performances before guaranteeing him a place in the starting XI.

At a packed Old Trafford, United were made to work by the Dutch champions throughout the 90 minutes.

Tense times. Here’s three things we learned from yet another 0-0 draw for United.

But mindful that seeing United play against PSV could stoke some bad memories, Van Gaal has given Shaw a few days off from his rehabilitation which, the Dutchman admits, is proving to be a frustrating process for the England worldwide. The German side has won both its home games in the Champions League without conceding, and is unbeaten its last 29 home games in the Bundesliga.

“Fellaini, Rooney and Martial have to show their fitness and then I have to compare which are the best players to fit in our game plan”. We have created three open chances and three other chances and we give only two chances away against a very defensive opponent. “I thought with the lineup I selected we had the best chance to win but you never really know”.

“Maybe they need to go into the transfer market in January for one of them”. “We did a great job twice in our home games and we have to do it again”.