Manchester United Information Thread

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United
English Premier League week 12
Saturday 22 November 2014

United goals by Gibbs (own goal
) & Rooney.

..


Link to watch highlights



http://www.footytube.com/video/arsmuj-315968

Link to watch full match replay



http://livefootballvideo.com/fullmatch/england/premier-league/arsenal-vs-manchester-united-3



Van Gaal hails fantastic victory over Arsenal

Louis van Gaal hailed a “fantastic result” after his reshaped Manchester United team secured an invaluable 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Although the Gunners controlled much of the game, it was the Reds who took the lead when Kieran Gibbs converted into his own net on 56 minutes. Wayne Rooney then doubled the advantage with a fabulous chip before Olivier Giroud hit back in added time.

With a host of injuries to consider, the manager reverted to the 3-4-1-2 formation and his decision eventually paid dividends as United clinched a first away win of the season and climbed to fourth spot in the Barclays Premier League.

“It was a fantastic result,” said van Gaal in a post-match interview. “We had a lot of injuries and in spite of that we have won. In an away match, it is very difficult. Arsenal are a very good team, an attacking team and that I knew in advance.

“That is why I chose this strategy and at the end I can laugh, but at the same time, you can imagine that if Arsenal could have scored one of the four or five chances in the first half then maybe this would have been another game.”

Although van Gaal was clearly delighted to learn United are now among the Champions League places, the Dutchman was understandably cautious when asked if Saturday’s result could later be viewed as a turning point in the season as a whole.

“We have to wait and see,” he explained. “Of course, it is the first away victory so the players were very excited in the dressing room but, okay, it is only one victory. We have to confirm that with victories in the next two games that we play at home. Then we can say, okay, we have the spirit now and we will go looking at upstairs and not downstairs.”

David De Gea saves



..
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Next Manchester United match is today. :)

Manchester United v Hull City
English Premier League week 13
Saturday 29 November 2014
KO : 15:00 UK time

Shaw injured, but Falcao and Rojo may return

Louis van Gaal had some positive news in Friday's pre-match press conference, with Luke Shaw only ruled out for a few weeks by the ankle injury he sustained at Arsenal - and the possibility that Radamel Falcao and Marcos Rojo could feature in Saturday’s Barclays Premier League encounter with Hull City.

Falcao returned to full training on Sunday after missing the last four first-team fixtures with a troublesome calf injury, while Rojo has not featured since dislocating his shoulder during United’s 1-0 defeat to local rivals Manchester City on 2 November.

"We have to wait and see until the last training session of course," van Gaal explained at the Aon Training Complex. "It’s always difficult to say but we have good news, yes. You have to read between the lines.

"I have to train the last session and I live day by day at this moment. So maybe Falcao can come back in the 18 [matchday squad], maybe Rojo can come back in the 18. That’s it I think."

Asked about Shaw’s ankle injury sustained during the first half during last Saturday’s match at the Emirates Stadium, van Gaal provided a positive update on the 19-year-old England international.

"Luke sustained an ankle ligament injury but with no serious complications and he will only be out for the next few weeks because of this."

*****************

A portion of Louis van Gaal Friday press conference which includes his dig at Manchester United Twitter for misquoting him last week about Daley Blind's extent of injury.

" I have asked my medical adviser , maybe Manchester United Twitter account can pay attention to it."




[video=youtube;uyJWkrw3ngE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyJWkrw3ngE[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Manchester United 3-0 Hull City
English Premier League week 13
Saturday 29 November 2014
Old Trafford , Manchester

Attendance : 75,345

United goals by Smalling , Rooney & Robin van Persie







Link to watch highlights



http://www.footytube.com/video/manchester-united-v-hull-city-317481

Link to watch full match replay



http://www.footballorgin.com/2014/11/manchester-united-v-hull-city-premier.html

Dominant Reds please van Gaal

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was delighted with the control his players exerted in the 3-0 win over Hull City on Saturday, singling out Man of the Match Ander Herrera for special praise.

The young Spaniard entered the fray on 14 minutes after Angel Di Maria was forced off with what looked like a hamstring problem. Herrera adapted to the frenetic pace of the game seamlessly and caught the eye of his manager.

“I have to say Herrera came in and did fantastic, I was very pleased with how he did.” the boss told MUTV. “He is a very fit player which is why I also let him play in the Reserves. I'm very happy for him because he needed a good performance.”

Van Gaal was also keen to stress his satisfaction with the team’s all-round display and felt that the players kept their shape better than in recent games.

“I was very pleased with our dominance in the whole game and also with our positional game,” the manager added. “We scored three goals, created more chances, and we didn't give any chances away - that's very good.”

The goal of the game was arguably Robin van Persie's 66th-minute strike from the edge of the box which flew into the top corner. Van Gaal was pleased to see van Persie back amongst the goals and hailed his superb effort.

"A striker needs to score goals and he scored a beautiful goal. I was very happy for him," added the boss.

[video=youtube;POhoVTPYKKI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POhoVTPYKKI[/video]
 
Last edited:

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Next Manchester United match is tonight. :)

Manchester United vs Stoke City
English Premier League week 14
Tuesday 2 December 2014
Old Trafford , Manchester
KO : 19:45 UK time

Match Preview



Scene-setter: Just four days after Saturday's win over Hull, United return to Old Trafford for a first midweek encounter of the Barclays Premier League season and another victory would provide ideal preparation for next Monday's trip to Southampton, who are loitering just above the Reds in third.

Form guide: Louis van Gaal's men claimed a third consecutive win at the weekend and head into this match in confident mood. Despite injuries to key players, particularly in defence, United somehow kept two clean sheets in that trio of triumphs. Stoke, meanwhile, are without a win in two after losing to Burnley and Liverpool. But the Potters may be inspired by a first Premier League win over United back in February.

Team news: Angel Di Maria should miss this game after exiting Saturday's match with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. Wayne Rooney also limped off, although van Gaal expects the club captain to play. Fans will be eager to see if Radamel Falcao is involved again after the Colombian stepped off the bench against the Tigers. Luke Shaw, Daley Blind and Phil Jones all miss out through injury. Stoke could be without Steve Sidwell, Glenn Whelan, Victor Moses, Robert Huth and Peter Odemwingie.

Quote/unquote: "We'll pick ourselves up [after losing at Liverpool]. We are a bit concerned about the injuries we are picking up, but there's nothing you can do. With Steve Sidwell... he's opened his knee up and it's very sore, but hopefully it is nothing more serious than that. We will have to check when the swelling goes down.” Mark Hughes, Stoke manager

Last match: Stoke secured a maiden Premier League win over United when the sides last met at the Britannia Stadium in February. A Michael Carrick own goal gave the home side the lead before injuries to Jones and Jonny Evans disrupted the Reds' rhythm. Robin van Persie levelled before half-time, but Charlie Adam clinched a hard-fought 2-1 win for the Potters. Read the match report.

Did you know? United have played exactly 100 matches against Stoke, winning 41, drawing 32 and losing 27.

Rivals watch: There are six Premier League fixtures on Tuesday. West Ham are the only other top-six team in action (at West Brom), although United fans may have an eye on Liverpool's trip to Leicester.

Match officials: Jonathan Moss is the man in the middle, with Lee Betts and Simon Long his assistants on the sidelines. Neil Swarbrick is fourth official.



Van Gaal ready for busy December

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is relishing the challenge of the busiest period of the season so far.

The visit of Stoke City on Tuesday kicks off a hectic December of six matches, quickly followed by the New Year’s Day reverse fixture at the Britannia Stadium and the third round of the FA Cup on the first weekend of January.

But despite the comfortable 3-0 win over Hull on Saturday, van Gaal refuses to take anything for granted as he reflected on the first third of the season.

“In the Premier League, nothing is easy and when you see Liverpool struggling against Stoke City for 85 minutes, it shows. Every game is difficult, and that’s why the Premier League is exciting because you never know," he told reporters.

“There is an atmosphere in the stadiums, the fans are always supporting their club until the end and that’s fantastic. That’s why I want to work here in the Premier League.”

It’s the first time the experienced Dutchman has embarked on the traditionally busy festive programme in England and, while he is concerned about the demands placed upon the players, he is ready for the task in hand.

“I cannot change it, I don’t think it is good for the players that they play within two days of a match," he admitted. "December shall be like that, and we have also family. I also have a wife, and kids and grandchildren and I cannot see them at Christmas.

“But, I want to work in the Premier League so I have to adapt and I shall adapt.”

[video=youtube;aSEP6frTzHY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSEP6frTzHY[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Manchester United 2-1 Stoke City
English Premier League week 14
Tuesday 2 December 2014
Old Trafford , Manchester

Attendance: 75,388

United goals by Fellaini & Juan Mata.





Match highlights



http://www.footytube.com/video/manchester-united-stoke-city-dec02-318057?ref=wv_rel_mp

Full match replay



http://www.footballorgin.com/2014/12/premier-league-2014-2015-manchester.html



Louis van Gaal pleased with win over Stoke City

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal believes his side are in "a good moment" after picking up a fourth straight win with victory over Stoke City.

The Reds ran out 2-1 winners at Old Trafford, courtesy of Marouane Fellaini's header and a free-kick from Juan Mata that might have received a slight touch from Marcos Rojo.

Van Gaal said luck played a part in the closing stages as David De Gea's save and Ashley Young's clearance helped to preserve all three points, but stressed the importance of grinding out results.

“Victories are always valuable because you have to win at a top club," he told MUTV. "If you want to climb the table, you have to win. In England, there are no easy matches. Last weekend, every match in this league was close, so I’m very happy with the win tonight.

“Of course it was a relief - we have to kill games off much earlier. We had some big chances, Herrera in the first half and Fellaini and Wilson in the second. If we had scored one of those, the game would have been over. But, when the scores are close and you have the likes of Crouch coming on to face long balls, the ball can fall anywhere so we were lucky towards the end. I think we deserved to win.

“I want to wait until after our next match [to assess things], but we’re in a very good moment. We’ve won four matches in a row, which is a very good achievement in the Premier League. I want to see what happens against Southampton – when we win a second consecutive away match, then we’ll have great momentum."

The Dutchman handed a first start to striker James Wilson, who replaced the injured Wayne Rooney in one of two changes from the side which beat Hull on Saturday (the other was Ander Herrera coming into the team instead of Angel Di Maria).

After the game, van Gaal gave his verdict on Wilson's performance and declared his opinion on who scored the winning goal after both Juan Mata and Marcos Rojo wheeled away in celebration.

"Wilson could have scored; when he does score, everyone will be even happier with him. He usually scores in training, but today he didn’t, and that’s the difference between training and matchday.

“The second goal was Juan Mata’s, because he took the free-kick. Rojo is running across the goalkeeper, making it difficult for him to catch the ball, that’s something we work on in training. I’m very happy it paid off during a game, and not only during a training session."
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Warren Joyce proud of United record

Reserves coach Warren Joyce is rightly proud of Manchester United's record when it comes to producing top-class players, a fact that has been highlighted in a recent report by Swiss-based statisticians CIES.

The Football Observatory have calculated that the Reds are second only to Barcelona in terms of training youngsters between the ages of 15 and 21, who are currently performing for a club in the top five European leagues. United are ahead of third-placed Real Madrid and the final figure of 36, 12 of whom are still at Old Trafford, is 12 clear of the next-best English side in Arsenal.

"If I'm honest, I wasn't aware of the study," explained Joyce to ManUtd.com. "But, when I was down at St George's Park, FA staff there were talking about the fact.

"I don't think our club really shouts about things like this but it's hard not to be drawn into a comment on a report that has been produced independently.

"It’s all part of the standards at Manchester United about being humble and hard working. So we just get on with things, instead of shouting about what we're doing. It's more about actions rather than hollow words.

"When you're winning things, the opportunities do not come along as often so we can be proud of that statistic. If you're just a mid-table club, it would be easier to get players into the first team and I don't think it would have been a massively hard achievement to do that and maintain it with the 50-odd players I could reel off who we have sold in the past years.

"To get the achievement at a time when our first team has won the league, the Champions League and other trophies is impressive. It means it's very hard to get a young kid through when there are world-class players in nearly every position.

"I think we could form two or three teams from them and be comfortable in the Premier League and certainly at the top of the Championship if they played together."

The challenge remains to continue producing talents good enough to make their way at the top level and Joyce, who has enjoyed phenomenal success at Reserves level, is determined hard work will always reap dividends.

"We now have to make sure we continue to thrive in an ever-improving competitive environment and, certainly, a competitive financial environment with our young players. We must stick to our values and never rest on our laurels. We will strive to be the best - that has always got to be the aim for everybody here."



CIES Football Observatory Report

 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Finally some good news from injury front.

From Louis van Gaal's yesterday interview with Manchester United TV.



[video=youtube;I4Gx09bb1uY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Gx09bb1uY[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Next Manchester United match is tonight and it's a delicious one.


Southampton vs Manchester United
English Premier League week 15
Monday 8 December 2014
KO : 20:00 UK time



Wayne Rooney fit to face Southampton

Louis van Gaal has confirmed Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is fit to play against Southampton on Monday evening after recovering from the knee injury that ruled him out of the midweek victory over Stoke City.

Argentinian playmaker Angel Di Maria will not feature at St Mary’s Stadium, though, so that he can recover from the hamstring injury sustained in the first half of last weekend’s Barclays Premier League win over Hull City at Old Trafford.

While speaking to MUTV about Di Maria's injury, van Gaal gave a positive update on the no.7: "It's not a bad injury, but I am not a doctor. I have to say it like a manager, not like a doctor. But I think he shall recover very quickly."

Continuing the team news theme, Jonny Evans is fit for action and Phil Jones has returned to full training but the manager suggests the latter may have to play for the Reserves before returning to the first team.

"Evans is coming back. He is fit to play. Jones is coming back but not fit to play. He needs training sessions and maybe also matches in the second team. But he is coming back. He is fit to train. That is also very good. We are seeing already light in the tunnel."

Match Preview:

Date, time and coverage: Monday 8 December, 20:00 GMT. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 19:00 GMT. Live text is available at manutd.com/matchblog, while MUTV offers live audio.

Scene-setter: Following a hard-fought victory over Stoke on Tuesday evening, the Reds travel to third-placed Southampton, where a win would see Louis van Gaal's side leapfrog the Saints, ahead of a tasty clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday 14 December.

Form guide: The Reds will be full of confidence heading into the match, having picked up maximum points from the previous four Premier League games. Southampton could provide a tough test, though - Ronald Koeman's side boast the division's meanest defence, having shipped just ten goals this campaign. The Saints' momentum has slowed after back-to-back defeats against Manchester City and Arsenal, but the hosts will be determined to return to winning ways on home soil.

Team news: Reds captain Wayne Rooney will return to the side having recovered from the knee injury he picked up against Hull. Angel Di Maria will not feature after being forced off with a hamstring strain during that win at Old Trafford. Luke Shaw will miss out against his former club, while Daley Blind and Phil Jones are still returning to full fitness. Jones is back in training but not ready for first-team action. Southampton could be without key defender Toby Alderweireld, while Morgan Schneiderlin and Jack Cork are expected to miss the game.

Betting: Official betting partners bwin price United as narrow favourites at odds of 2.70, with Southampton at 2.80 and the draw 3.25. Back the Reds to win 2-0 at 13.00.

Quote/unquote: Van Gaal: "I want to wait until after the match [to assess things], but we’re in a very good moment. We've won four matches in a row, which is a very good achievement in the Premier League. I want to see what happens against Southampton – if we win a second consecutive away game, we'll have great momentum."

Last match: The Reds fought back to claim a point at St Mary's on the final day of last season, as a sublime free-kick from Juan Mata on 54 minutes cancelled out Rickie Lambert's first-half opener. It was a day for farewells as United said goodbye to defensive duo Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, who left the club after a combined 734 appearances at Old Trafford. Read the match report here.

Did you know? United have won 21 of the 30 Premier League meetings between the two sides, and haven't suffered a defeat in this fixture since August 2003.

Rivals watch: The Reds' trip to the south coast is the only top-flight action on Monday. Fans will have their eyes on Saturday's fixtures, when Arsenal travel to Stoke and Manchester City host Everton at the Etihad.

Match officials: Kevin Friend is the man in the middle, with Scott Ledger and Andrew Garratt his assistants on the sidelines. Roger East is fourth official.
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Southampton 1-2 Manchester United
EPL week 15
Monday 8 December 2014

United goals by Robin van Persie.





Match highlights



http://www.footytube.com/video/southampton-1-2-manchester-united-extended-319987

Full match replay



http://www.footballorgin.com/2014/12/monday-night-football-mnf-premier.html



Van Gaal admits United were lucky at Southampton

Louis van Gaal believes Manchester United were "lucky" to come away with all three points, following his team's 2-1 win over Southampton.

Two goals from Robin van Persie handed United a fifth straight Barclays Premier League win, despite the home side's dominance for long periods of the game at St. Mary's.

Van Gaal said he was "very pleased" to see his side's good run of results continue, but insisted that plenty of improvements can be made ahead of Sunday's clash with Liverpool.

“We lost the ball too easily in the first half because we didn’t have very good positional play," he said. "The only chances Southampton created were when we lost the ball, and that was not good. We needed confidence on the ball, which we didn’t have, and I said something about that at half-time. I think we were better in the second half but Southampton (still) played better than us.

“Our first goal was a gift and the second was made easier because I saw the goalkeeper coming out of his goal. We were very lucky. I didn’t see the confidence that I saw on the training ground earlier this week. We trained very well this week, and I did not see it on the match day - that is the most important time to show yourself.

"We didn’t give a lot away in the second half, maybe four chances, but Southampton were the better team. We were the lucky team. But I think it is a good signal (that we won)."

Louis van Gaal post-match



[video=youtube;PUp9Stl7bWM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUp9Stl7bWM[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Manchester United's next 5 English Premier League matches:



14 December : vs Liverpool - 13:30 UK time
20 December : vs Aston Villa - 15:00 UK time
26 December : vs Newcastle United - 15:00 UK time
28 December : vs Tottenham Hotspur - 12:00 UK time
01 January : vs Stoke City - 12:45 UK time
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Next Manchester United match is today. Scousers are coming to Old Trafford. :)

Manchester United vs Liverpool
EPL week 16
Sunday 14 December 2014
Old Trafford , Manchester
KO : 13:30 UK time

Match Preview



Scene-setter: After a tough but significant victory away at Southampton lifted United to third in the Barclays Premier League table, yet another important test lies ahead with fierce rivals Liverpool coming to Old Trafford. A home win would put the Reds ten points ahead of Brendan Rodgers’ men and maintain the pressure on Chelsea and Manchester City.

Form guide: A run of five wins – the most recent displaying spirit in abundance against an inventive Southampton side – ensures Louis van Gaal’s men are heading into the clash on the ideal platform. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s record has been indifferent throughout the season. Wins against Stoke City and Leicester looked to have transformed their form, but a goalless draw with Sunderland last weekend highlighted the Merseysiders’ struggle to repeat last season's goalscoring exploits. A midweek draw with FC Basel wasn't sufficient to salvage their Champions League status, leaving Rodgers' men seemingly low on confidence.

Team news: Unscathed comebacks against Southampton for Wayne Rooney and Jonny Evans look to have confirmed their availability for this weekend’s meeting at Old Trafford, but Chris Smalling will be out for two weeks after suffering a problem with his groin. Luke Shaw, Daley Blind and Angel Di Maria are the other confirmed absentees. Daniel Sturridge continues to be unavailable for the opposition, but Mario Balotelli has returned to training from a hamstring issue. Mamadou Sakho made Liverpool's bench for their European clash with Basel after a thigh injury, and he should be rejoined in the squad by fellow centre-back Kolo Toure.

Betting: Official betting partners bwin price the Reds as favourites at odds of 1.91, with Liverpool at 3.90 and a draw 3.40. You can back van Gaal’s side to win 3-1 at 13.00.

Quote/unquote: "We have to live match for match and that is the most important thing. We have to beat Liverpool which is more important than thinking about Manchester City or Chelsea." - Louis van Gaal, speaking to MUTV.

Last league meeting: At Old Trafford in March, United were beaten by an in-form Liverpool side challenging for the title as two Steven Gerrard penalties and a Luis Suarez strike resulted in a 3-0 win for the visitors.

Did you know? Prior to last season’s loss, United reigned in Old Trafford meetings between these sides with six straight wins stretching back to 2010. Overall in the Premier League, the Manchester Reds have won 13, drawn four and lost only five of the 22 matches when Liverpool have visited.

Rivals watch: United will discover if further ground can be gained on the top two sides after Chelsea and Manchester City face Hull and Leicester City respectively on Saturday. Sixth-placed Arsenal will look to keep up with the pace but must overcome a Newcastle side who last weekend defeated the league leaders.

Match officials: Martin Atkinson will take charge of the fixture, while Mike Mullarkey and Stephen Child will assist. Jonathan Moss has been appointed as the fourth official.

Di Maria and Smalling to miss Liverpool

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed Angel Di Maria and Chris Smalling are both unavailable to face historic rivals Liverpool on Sunday - but the club's injury situation is otherwise improving.

Di Maria has not featured since limping out of last month’s 3-0 win over Hull City with a hamstring injury. Van Gaal told MUTV on Friday: "I am not a doctor so I cannot answer but I know he is not ready for Liverpool."

Smalling will also miss the blockbuster clash at Old Trafford after coming off during Monday’s 2-1 win against Southampton, but the England international will only be out for a fortnight.

When asked about the defender, van Gaal explained: "It’s not so heavy an injury, he was very wise to stop immediately. I think it shall take two weeks."

Later, in his pre-match press conference, the manager stated that United "have only four players injured. Only Shaw, Smalling, Di Maria and Blind. That's better than ever I believe."

[video=youtube;Tl4VaqjnDoI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl4VaqjnDoI[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Mashdi jan what's the beef between LVG with Scholey and Neville ... I know scholes was worried about the 200 Million Man City Academy project but what's Neville's problem ?
No beef with Scholes that i know of. the issue of how to improve United Academy has been an issue for open debate. Scholes wrote about his concerns in a recent piece in Independent here : http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...ahead-of-the-game-at-youth-level-9919194.html

Gary Neville made a few negative comments as a pundit on Sky Sports about United's style of play against Arsenal & Southampton. his choice of words didn't sit too well with LVG and many United fans , hence the reaction. no big deal for me and he's actually made some notable critical points about United's weaknesses.he's a good pundit on Sky Sports.
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Manchester United 3-0 Liverpool
EPL week 16
Sunday 14 December 2014
Old Trafford , Manchester

United goals by Rooney , Mata & Robin van Persie

Links to watch match highlights



http://www.footytube.com/video/manchester-united-3-0-liverpool-ext-321489

http://www.footytube.com/video/Manchester-United-vs-Liverpool-321505?ref=lchan_results

http://hoofoot.com/?match=Manchester_United_3_-_0_Liverpool_FC_2014_12_14

Link to watch full match replay



http://www.footballorgin.com/2014/12/manchester-united-vs-liverpool-premier.html



Mata praises De Gea after win over Liverpool

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata praised his compatriot David De Gea following yet another brilliant goalkeeping display in the 3-0 win over Liverpool.

De Gea, the winner of consecutive Player of the Month awards this season, continued his fine form to help United to a sixth successive victory in the Barclays Premier League.

After witnessing his fellow Spaniard's impressive saves to deny Raheem Sterling and Mario Balotelli at Old Trafford, Mata believes there are few players who can top United's no.1 on his current form.

“We scored three goals, but David was very important for us today," he told MUTV. "It’s tough to find anyone better than him, he’s been in top form since the beginning of the season and has saved a lot of points for us. Today, in a massive game, luckily he did that again.

"Also, when you have strikers like Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie at the other end, they can score at almost every opportunity. Right now, we’re being very efficient and putting away our chances, almost everything is going in the net! It’s great, and it’s a big result for us.

“When you’re on the pitch in a game like this, you can feel that millions of people are watching. It’s a big match for United fans, and from the first minute we tried to show that. With today’s performance, I think we did so very well.”

Mata scored just before half-time to double United's lead after Rooney opened the scoring early on, ghosting in at the back post to head the ball past Brad Jones.

The midfielder feels that the Reds can improve on performances despite the recent run of good form, but says that grinding out results is an important quality to possess.

“Obviously the second goal was very important, because it’s better to go into half-time with a two-goal lead," he added. "I was offside, which is something I didn’t realise at the time, but noticed after the game. I think plenty of goals come from the back-post area, so I have to be trying to get into that space.

“I think today's result was important after five victories in a row, and now we’ll be looking for a seventh [against Aston Villa]. I think there are still ways to improve, but we’re winning and that’s very important, even when you’re not at your best. I think we’re doing a lot of things right, but can still improve."



Van Gaal: United deserved victory over Liverpool

Louis van Gaal felt Manchester United were the deserved victors over Liverpool at Old Trafford, but is demanding further improvements from his players.

Goals from Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie gave the Reds an emphatic result over the club's historic rivals from Merseyside. But a string of saves at crucial times during the match from David De Gea proved to be vital in the final analysis, leading van Gaal to urge his players to perform better when a seventh straight win is sought at Aston Villa next Saturday.

“Today, I thought we were the better team, and we deserved to win,” said the manager. “So, it wasn't the same as the Southampton game - we pressed more from the front, and that was the key.

"It's a process. It's important that we win the games, because it makes the players believe in the philosophy. But, we have to improve and I'm saying that to them every week. When that's no longer the case, I'll be pleased. I hope [this win provides a platform], but now Aston Villa becomes our most important match. Every game in this league is difficult to win.”

De Gea’s brilliance helped preserve a clean sheet, but despite the result, the manager was unhappy that his goalkeeper was called into action so often. “We gave the ball away too easily, especially in the second half when we were leading. There was a lot of space out there, but we still gave the ball away, so I'll speak to the players about that when we evaluate the game tomorrow.”

Louis van Gaal post-match



[video=youtube;O1xBC9gj2S4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1xBC9gj2S4[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
DiMaria named player of the year in Argentina for 2014.....
Yeah , that should help him recover from his hamstring injury faster.


I fully understand Louis van Gaal not rushing him back but we do need our Angel Delight back ASAP.





[video=youtube;05ArhoXBopA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05ArhoXBopA[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Next Manchester United match will be tomorrow. :)

Aston Villa vs Manchester United
English Premier League week 17
Saturday 20 December 2014
KO : 15:00 GMT

Di Maria could make bench at Villa

Angel Di Maria could be named on the Manchester United bench for Saturday's trip to Aston Villa after a solid week of training.

The Reds winger has been missing since limping off at the end of last month in the win over Hull, but Louis van Gaal told reporters on Friday that the Argentinian has made positive steps this week.

"Angel has trained this week with us," the boss said. "It’s always dependable on how I have to compare with other players because he’s not match fit after one week. What I’ve said about [Robin] van Persie and Falcao, I say also for Di Maria – it is no different.

"It is a procedure and he has to follow the procedure. Maybe I shall select him for the bench, or maybe not. I have to make my decision because we have one session to go."

In his weekly interview with MUTV, van Gaal also confirmed Marouane Fellaini will miss Saturday's trip to Villa Park due to illness. However, the manager was pleased to report he has "28 players in the squad and 22 to put in the line-up, and that is big news."

The Reds go into the match at Villa on the back of six straight wins and while van Gaal has been delighted with collecting maximum points, he is urging his players to continue to up their performance level.

"Okay, the results are very good, but we can improve the performances of the team," he added. "I don’t think it was a great surprise that we won against Liverpool, neither for the players. The game against Hull City was a good game. We dominated 90 minutes and I want to see more games like that. Now, there are too few games that we are dominating for 90 minutes. We have to wait and see.

We dominated 90 minutes and I want to see more games like that. Now, there are too few games that we are dominating for 90 minutes. We have to wait and see.

"When you win six times in a row the confidence is rising, but I’m still looking for a game that is more close to the perfect game than we have given until now.

"Of course, that [the results] are the main, important thing. I speak with Sir Alex Ferguson and he says, ‘No problem, you have won!” but, for me, the performance is also very important. When you perform well, you win more and that’s what I want to show to the fans," continued van Gaal. "The players want to show that. The guarantee of wins is much bigger when we perform better."

Louis van Gaal



[video=youtube;s34_teBhcOw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s34_teBhcOw[/video]

Di Maria back in training :drunk:





 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1
Aston Villa 1-1 Manchester United
EPL week 17
Saturday 20 December 2014

United goal by Falcao.

Highlights



http://hoofoot.com/?match=Aston_Villa_1_-_1_Manchester_United_2014_12_20

Full match



http://www.footballorgin.com/2014/12/premier-league-2014-2015-aston-villa-v_20.html

Van Gaal: We needed more aggression

Louis van Gaal was disappointed that Manchester United could not convert possession into three points at Villa Park and said his team needed more aggression to beat a determined Aston Villa side, who remained just as resolute when they went down to ten men in the second half.

“When you are the better team you have to win,” the boss told MUTV. “We have had a lack of aggression in the first half, I think at that time we were much better. We kept the ball very well but didn’t do too much with it. We didn’t create many chances in the first half.

“Because of the lack of aggression we were losing 1-0 and then we changed that attitude in the second half. We did everything to win but it is very difficult. I have to say that Aston Villa did very well also.”

Christian Benteke gave the hosts the lead after 18 minutes but, as van Gaal pointed out, it was against the run of play. A change at half time saw Michael Carrick shift from a three-man defence into central midfield, which began to have the intended effect.

“With Carrick you have more passes to the strikers and that was needed which is why I changed Darren [Fletcher] for [Tyler Blackett] and put Michael in midfield, but I could have changed a lot of players because I think that it is the first demand that we are aggressive.”

It didn’t take long – eight minutes in fact – for a change in the scoreline as Radamel Falcao converted with a fine header from Ashley Young’s cross.

“It was a fantastic goal and I am very happy for Falcao because he needed that, but I am always happy when Manchester United score!”

United appeared to be in the ascendancy when Villa went down to 10 men following the dismissal of Gabriel Agbonlahor for a late tackle on Young, but the numerical advantage wasn't translated to the scoreline.

“It [can be] like that as the opponent shall always make the space narrow, they used the long ball well and we couldn’t manage [playing against] the long ball to Benteke so it was dangerous for us. It’s always important not to lose but I am frustrated because we gave two points away and that is my feeling of this match."

[video=youtube;ds6kTYy9CzA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds6kTYy9CzA[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Louis van Gaal provides team news for Boxing Day

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal does not believe any injured players will return for the Boxing Day encounter with Newcastle, although Chris Smalling “maybe” has a chance of featuring.

The England international suffered an injury in the first half of the Reds’ 2-1 win over Southampton on 8 December and subsequently missed the following matches with Liverpool and Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League.

Luke Shaw has not played since sustaining ankle ligament damage against Arsenal in late November, while Ander Herrera picked up a slight injury before the trip to Villa Park. Marouane Fellaini is also suffering from a bout of illness and will not face the Magpies.

Asked by MUTV if any of United’s absentees might return to action, van Gaal said: “I don't think so, I am sorry. Maybe Smalling. Fellaini is still not available.

"Smalling is a question mark - I have to look tomorrow but it's always like that," he continued at a press conference. "For a few players it [this period] is fun because they are recovering quickly, but you also have players who are not recovering so quickly, so I have to rotate. My problem is I have a lot of injured players. That is the problem with these matches in the coming weeks."

The boss was also asked about the praise he has received as manager. "It is fantastic when you come to Manchester United," he said. "You hope, because I know Sir Alex Ferguson, that he shall support you. With his support, not only this week but also in other interviews he gave, he shows a lot of confidence in belief in me. I need that as a coach, and as manager of Manchester United."

Van Gaal was also full of praise for Falcao's strike partner Wayne Rooney ahead of the Newcastle clash. "He is a player who can play in different positions and I’m happy with that because I like multifunctional players," he added. "I can use him as a midfielder but also as a striker and attacking midfielder. He has the ability to run from box to box."

On last week's goalscorer, the Dutchman added: "Falcao is also dependable on his team-mates. He can be in great form, but the team has to be in great form. That allows Falcao to show his qualities. When the cross is not coming from Ashley Young, then he cannot show what he has done in the last match."

Despite recent good form, the manager believes the Reds can improve: “My record in away matches as a coach is not so bad. Away, teams are more open and want to attack but here they want to defend. That is why we have to build up a certain playing style so we can dominate. I’m saying every week that we are dominating for 45 or 60 minutes. We have to dominate for 90 minutes.”

More from van Gaal: “We want to build a fortress at Old Trafford, and we have made it that already because we have won a lot, and with great results. We have to continue, but there are no easy games in the Premier League.”

The boss has been speaking to journalists about the busy festive period at this afternoon's press conference. "For a few players it is fun because they are recovering quickly," he said. "You also have players who are not recovering so quickly, so I have to rotate. I have a lot of injured players, that is the problem with these matches."

[video=youtube;5vQKdQQXfZY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vQKdQQXfZY[/video]
 

mashdi

Football Legend
Sep 29, 2005
39,274
1


Next Manchester United match is today. :drunk:

Manchester United vs Newcastle
English Premier League week 18
Friday 26 December 2014
Old Trafford , Manchester
KO : 15:00 GMT



Van Gaal explains tactical formation choice

Louis van Gaal has admitted to MUTV his hand has been forced when it comes to selecting his formation for Manchester United's recent Barclays Premier League matches.

The boss has been pleased with the work of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia in wing-back slots but feels the attacking duo are not suited to orthodox defensive roles. With Rafael still to appear after injury, despite being on the bench last weekend, and Luke Shaw sidelined since sustaining ankle ligament damage at Arsenal, there has been a preference for a three-man central defence of late.

Young and Valencia have pushed forward to good effect, setting up goals against Aston Villa and Liverpool respectively, but the system could revert to a flat back four when Rafael and Shaw are back fully fit.

"Yeah, but as wing-backs and not as full-backs," the manager replied when asked how pleased he has been with Young and Valencia. "Now I am more or less obliged to play with wing-backs because the real full-backs, Shaw and Rafael da Silva, were not fit enough and that is not good. I have to select what I want but now I am forced to select. For a manager, that is not so good."

With Newcastle United welcomed to Old Trafford on Boxing Day, the Dutchman is still working out how best to utilise his players when they are all available. Angel Di Maria has been employed on the flanks and in an attacking role since initially shining in a more central position and the Argentinian's adaptability should prove useful in the upcoming games.

When asked about Di Maria's best position, van Gaal conceded: "We still have to find that out. It is also [about] the composition of the team, we have to look for the best team also because all of the players were injured so I could not select the team that I want."

With the Reds sitting in third place in the table and only being denied a seven-game winning run with the draw at Villa Park last time out, the fact the boss has still to name what he feels is his best XI must be very encouraging for all United fans as 2014 comes to an end.

[video=youtube;r5ByU6IiFp0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ByU6IiFp0[/video]