Louis van Gaal: Man Utd boss admits failing the fans

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admits he has not lived up to expectations as his side were booed by fans after losing against Southampton.

United supporters were mutinous following their 1-0 loss at Old Trafford on Saturday.

They have failed to net a first-half goal for the 11th home game in a row.

"They have - or they had - great expectations of me, and I cannot fulfil them, so I am very frustrated because of that," said Dutchman Van Gaal.

United are fifth in the Premier League table, five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham and 10 off leaders Leicester.

The Red Devils have taken 37 points from their first 23 games, their lowest total in the Premier League era and three points fewer than under David Moyes during the 2013-14 season.

After the defeat against Southampton, Van Gaal had said: "They are right to boo. I cannot deny that, I saw the match.

"For better or for worse we have to stick together. We are working very hard, but we have had a lot of injuries. That you cannot change."

Van Gaal was also criticised on the club's official television channel, MUTV, with former Reds winger Bojan Djordjic suggesting "the only corner we are turning is into some dark alley where we get robbed again".

Next up for United is a trip to face Championship side Derby in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday (kick-off 19:55 GMT).

Darmian 'fine' after rib scare

On Saturday, United were without Ashley Young, who Van Gaal says faces "a long time" out with a serious groin injury, and lost fellow defender Matteo Darmian mid-way through the second half following a clash with Shane Long.

Van Gaal revealed the Italian was "spitting blood" after leaving the pitch and had gone to hospital.

However, the 26-year-old said on Sunday that he was "fine". With Luke Shaw still out after suffering a double fracture of his right leg last September, Darmian is Van Gaal's only fit senior full-back.

United's woe in numbers

Manchester United managers in the Premier League

• Sir Alex Ferguson (1986-2013) 

Games: 810 

Win: 528 

%: 65.2

• David Moyes (2013-14) 

Games: 34 

Win:17 

%: 50

• Ryan Giggs (2014) 

Games: 4 

Win: 2 

%: 50

• Louis van Gaal (2014-Present) 

Games:61 

Win: 30 

%:49.2

Source:BBC

Jose Mourinho to Manchester United: Ex-Chelsea manager pens six-page love letter to United to claim 'I can change'

As pressure mounts on Van Gaal, sacked Chelsea manager makes bold bid for job he has coveted for years

Jose Mourinho has written Manchester United a six-page letter explaining his strong desire to manage the club and how he would be willing to adhere to United’s principles. He also outlined his plans for the team, and the key decisions he would take.

Mourinho, who was sacked by Chelsea last month, believes that a detailed charm offensive can finally secure his dream job of managing United once his old mentor Louis van Gaal leaves, and that depature is now widely expected to come in the summer. 

Though Mourinho immediately targeted United as his next job after leaving Chelsea, the 52-year-old was keen not to step on Van Gaal’s toes. He worked for the Dutch coach at Barcelona between 1997-2000, and greatly respects him.

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Mourinho's agent brands United letter claims 'absurd'

Yet United’s recent poor results, not least the 1-0 home defeat by Southampton yesterday, have opened up the possibility that Van Gaal’s time is running out, so Mourinho’s representative Jorge Mendes contacted the United board to discuss the future.

Though many among the United hierarchy were more open to appointing the Portuguese than they were when Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, the former Chelsea manager’s camp were made aware that there was a still a considerable faction at the club opposed to hiring him. The reasons are thought to range from Mourinho’s regular controversies, his style of football and his failure to nurture young talent.

Source: www.independent.co.uk