Van Gaal apologises for Manchester United’s exit at the group stages of the Champions League.

Louis van Gaal insists he loves proving his critics wrong – but has apologised for Manchester United’s exit at the group stages of the Champions League.

United’s performances this season have been widely criticised, with Van Gaal’s ‘philosophy’ coming in for plenty of stick.

Although our article urged United fans to stay patient with Van Gaal, we also accepted that United may need to consider replacing the Dutchman in the summer following the exit at the group stages of the Champions League.

However, responding to claims that Van Gaal is ‘past it’, the Dutchman said: “I have read already in the media that I am 64 and I am too old. Last year I was good enough to get Holland to third at the World Cup.

“I read the same things 20 years ago. When we went out at the group stage with Barcelona, they wrote the same thing – that my touch has gone. It is always like that. I cannot change that.

“I cannot change what is in your mind. I can only say the facts.

“The facts are this – we are out of the group stage, yes, I am very sorry. But I have done everything I could, as have my players and my board.

“But, you cannot win every game and every year a title.”

Van Gaal claims some of the criticism of his patched up team’s performance in Germany has been over the top.

“I didn’t see you say anything positive for (Guillermo) Varela or (Cameron) Borthwick-Jackson,” Van Gaal said of the two young full-backs who played on Tuesday due to an injury crisis.

“You can see that as a positive. Memphis (Depay) is 21, (Jesse) Lingard 22, (Anthony) Martial, 20… Still we could hurt the number two of Germany. But we have lost. I am sorry.”

When asked whether he had doubted himself following the loss in Germany, Van Gaal replied: “No, I don’t have any doubts.”

Van Gaal received yet more bad news on Thursday when Bastian Schweinsteiger was banned for three matches for violent conduct following an elbow on Winston Reid in the 0-0 draw against West Ham last weekend.

Fellaini backs his manager

Marouane Fellaini has insisted Manchester United players “trust” under-fire manager Louis van Gaal.

Van Gaal’s reign has under significant scrutiny recently after United suffering a demoralising exit at the Champions League group stage in midweek.

Reports on Thursday claimed that player were growing increasingly ‘baffled’ with the Dutchman’s tactics and methods, but Fellaini has backed his manager.

“It is a tough month but we have to continue like this,” he told NBC Sports. “We know as Manchester United the expectation from us is high.

“Now we are focused, we know what we are doing. So, we will see but we are there. I am sure the goals will come and the chances as well.

“We trust him (van Gaal). He is the manager, it is his philosophy and we have to continue like that.”

When asked if United, who are fourth and three points behind leaders Leicester, can win the Premier League title for the first time since 2013 this season, Fellaini added: “Yes, of course. At the moment we are in the top four, we are there.”

Suspensions and injuries have curtailed much of Fellaini’s season so far, with the Belgian making just two starts in his seven appearances in the league. The 28-year-old is eager to take advantage of his opportunity in the first team, with injuries hitting much of United’s squad.

“I didn’t start the season because I was banned three games,” Fellaini said. “After that I would just come in 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes – that’s football.

“The manager decides but I am sure my time will come and I will show myself. I can help and I can play as well. Last season I scored goals and I did well. I’m sure my time will come and I will play.”

Sven Bender: Open to EL meeting with Klopp's Liverpool

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender says the club would be “delighted” to be pitted against Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp if the sides draw one another in the Europa League.

Klopp left Dortmund at the end of last season after seven hugely successful years in charge, and eventually joined Liverpool in October after a five-month sabbatical.

With Dortmund finishing only second in their Europa League group after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to PAOK in their final game, the Germans could draw Liverpool in the round-of-32 after Klopp’s side topped their group.

Bender, who played for Klopp from 2009 until his departure earlier this year, says Dortmund would be “delighted” to be reunited with their former manager, but that the Germans would “have to hurt him”.

“Those games would certainly be highlights,” Bender told the club’s TV channel. “We’d be delighted should it come to this. But we’d have to hurt him [Klopp].

“You can’t avoid the big teams when you want to go far. We’ll take them as they come, and try to advance to the next round.

Klopp’s predecessor, Thomas Tuchel, added, on a potential meeting with Klopp: “The later, the better.”

Trophies not guaranteed - Louis Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal has told Manchester United fans to deal with their Champions League exit by warning them not to compare the side to 10 years ago and expect them to win trophies.

United crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage on Tuesday when they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Wolfsburg.

Van Gaal’s critics again railed against the Dutchman in the wake of the defeat.

Paul Scholes labelled United ”average” while his former team-mate Rio Ferdinand said dropping into the Europa League was ”an embarrassment”.

But if United fans were looking for a rallying cry from their manager in the wake of the humbling defeat, they did not get one.

Van Gaal was asked at a press conference on the eve of United’s trip to Bournemouth whether he could make up for the club’s Champions League exit by winning the Premier League.

“No. It is difficult,” the United manager said.

“You (the media) want to raise the expectations. We shall do everything to win something but it is very difficult.

“For the fans it shall be like that. But I want to manage the expectation. It is not as easy as everybody thinks.

“You can see what is happening in the Premier League every week. It is not so easy.

When questioned further, a defensive Van Gaal said:  “You have to analyse the club as it isnow.

“You cannot compare it with 10 years ago, because there is an evolution in football and in European football.”

Van Gaal was criticised heavily for failing to lead Barcelona out of the group stages 18 years ago, and he responded by winning the Spanish league.

To achieve the same feat in England with United will be harder according to the Dutchman, who thinks the gap is closing between the clubs at the top and bottom of the Premier League and across Europe.

“The world has changed,” Van Gaal said.

“In 1997 I was out of the group stages with Barcelona. They are also a big club, there was also a lot of criticism in the media. But then we won the title. That was minor criticism at that time.

“Only one club can win the Champions League each season. It is not so easy to do that, now.

“Then three or four clubs had great money. Now we have much more clubs who have the money.

“It is the same in the Premier League. Next year, all the clubs in the Premier League have a bigger budget than most of the clubs in Europe.”

Rafael - Am happy with my move to Ligue 1

Former Manchester United full-back Rafael has admitted his love of the game suffered under Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford.

The Lyon defender was allowed to leave United for just £2.5million in August after only featuring 11 times for the club under Van Gaal last season.

Rafael admits he remains unhappy at how his seven-year association with Manchester United came to an end – but insists he’s happy to have made the move to Ligue 1 with Lyon.

“Consistency is everything in football. You get games, you feel better,” he said.

“You enjoy it more and your fitness is better. When you’ve not played for a long time it’s very hard for the player.

“When Van Gaal arrived I could see I wasn’t in the plan. When you’re a player you can feel it, you can see that.

“The 10 games I played I thought I played very well apart from Leicester [a 5-3 away defeat]. It’s hard to know.

“I had some choices to go in England, but in the end I wanted to try something different. It’s good to challenge yourself.”

Rafael was speaking ahead of this weekend’s clash between PSG and Lyon.

Rafael also questioned Van Gaal’s style of play at United and implored the manager to start entertaining supporters.

“To be honest I didn’t really enjoy to play when Van Gaal was there,” he added.

“Everyone is different. Results matter so if they can win the league it will be a different story.

“I like to enjoy myself, to try things and do stuff. Last year I wasn’t doing that.

“I watch them play and I’ve heard some things as well… But it’s hard. Football is for the fans. They want to see good football.”

Lukaku and Giroud to beat the bookies

Dave Tindall is tipping Romelu Lukaku and Olivier Giroud to continue their goalscoring heroics and bank more profits this weekend.

The weekly column successfully returned a 50/1 acca last month.

Premier League Top Scorers

14 Jamie Vardy (Leicester) Last 6 in all comps: 0-1-1-1-1-0 = 4

11 Romelu Lukaku (Everton) Last 6 games: 1-1-1-2-1-1 = 7

10 Riyad Mahrez (Leicester) Last 6 games: 3-0-0-0-2-1 = 6

8 Odion Ighalo (Watford) Last 6 games: 1-1-0-0-2-0 = 4

8 Harry Kane (Tottenham) Last 6 games: 0-0-1-2-1-1 = 5

8 Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) Last 6 games: 3-1-0-0-1-0 = 5

Analysis: Jamie Vardy might now have come back down to earth while, despite a treble last weekend, Leicester team-mate Riyad Mahrez is passed by for the home game against Chelsea as he does the vast majority of his scoring on the road (eight of his last nine goals have come away from the King Power Stadium).

So, turn to another hat-trick hero and back Olivier Giroud at odds-against to find the net at struggling Aston Villa on Sunday. With four goals in his last two games, his confidence is high.

Romelu Lukaku also has to be followed having netted in each of his last six games. The Belgian has another obvious chance to extend his streak when Everton travel to Norwich on Saturday lunchtime. Note that nine of Lukaku’s 14 goals in all competitions this season have come on the road.

Cesc Fabregas reveals he held talks over Real Madrid move

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he held talks over a Real Madrid move on several occasions in the past.

Fabregas was frequently linked with the Bernabeu giants during the course of his eight-year spell at former club Arsenal before he re-joined Barcelona in the summer of 2011.

The Spain international has now revealed that talk of a move to Real Madrid went beyond mere speculation.

When asked if he was ever close to becoming a Real Madrid player, he told Marca: “Well, there were contacts over several years and with different presidents. An agreement was never concluded. There were things, but there was no final agreement. It lacked the step forward.”

Fabregas was back on form for Spain during the international break, providing a chipped assist for Mario Gaspar’s stunning volley against England in Alicante.

Things have not been going as well at club level, with Chelsea just three points off the relegation zone after 12 games played. The midfielder admits his side must improve quickly to salvage their league campaign, but believes unity and stability under manager Jose Mourinho will be key to any turnaround. 

“It’s tough,” Fabregas continued. “Last season was excellent, despite the pain of the Champions League. We won the Premier League title and the Capital One Cup, that I had never won before. It was a spectacular year.

Advertisement

“This season is a pain. Things are not going for us and the results don’t do justice to how we are playing. We are doing things better, but there’s no luck. We have to start winning now.

“With Mourinho [it’s] fine, fine. Obviously when you don’t win people say things, and when you win, everything is phenomenal. When you don’t win, everything is tougher, but we have to be united and strong with the fans and the boss.

“That’s the only thing that can take us forward. Nobody is going to help us. In the Champions League we can hurt the big teams, but in the Premier League we have to wake up now. Right now.”

Cristiano Ronaldo - I would love to play under Ancelotti again

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he misses Carlo Ancelotti and would love to play under the Italian again during his career.

Ronaldo, 30, scored 48 goals in 35 games in the 2013-14 season and won the Champions League under Ancelotti before the manager was sacked and Rafa Benitez brought in this summer.

Ancelotti, who has taken a year out of the game, has been linked with a move to Manchester United to replace Louis van Gaal, while Ronaldo’s future has also been subject of speculation with his former club top of the agenda. And the Portugal international insists he would love to continue their relationship.

“Mr. Ancelotti was an unbelievable surprise. In the beginning I though he was more a tough person, more… kind of arrogant , and it was the opposite,” Ronaldo told ESPN.

“He’s like a big bear, I can say. He’s a cute guy, such a sensitive person. He spoke with us every day. Not just with me but with all the players. He had fun with us.

“He’s an unbelievable person. I just wish every player could have an opportunity to work with him because he’s a fantastic guy, a fantastic coach and I miss him a lot because we won many trophies together. And I wish to work with him one day again. But now I’m good. I have a new coach and I’m happy too, but it’s great I have good memories.”

Ronaldo, who arrived at the Bernabeu in 2008 for a then-world record fee of £80 million, has seen five managers take charge of the club and the forward wants to see some stability.

“Sometimes it is not easy. If you keep changing all the time it’s hard,” he added. “I don’t like when they change, or they sell or buy players every year, or they change coach every year. Because I think sometimes you need time to know each other, to know the coaches.

“It’s only the way that you can improve yourself in terms of individual or collective too. For the team to be consistent. To change all the time is difficult because you have to adapt to other players have to adapt to you. So it’s hard.

“I’m not a huge fan of when they change all the time but it’s part of the business. The market is like that. They sell, they buy players. So you have to adapt to that. And Real Madrid is a club that buys a player every year, so we have to adapt to that.”

Wenger hails Giroud, Ozil

Arsene Wenger has praised Olivier Giroud, insisting that the striker has responded well to being dropped, while likening Mesut Ozil to a musician.

Giroud, 29, has scored 26 goals in this calendar year and netted a hat trick as the Gunners beat Olympiakos 3-0 in the Champions League to seal progress to the knockout stages.

The France striker had dropped down the pecking order due to the early season form of Theo Walcott, but took his chance when Walcott was injured to cement his place in the XI.

Lamela the hat-trick hero as Tottenham defeat Monaco

Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League in rampant fashion after beating AS Monaco 4-1 at White Hart Lane, courtesy of an Erik Lamela hat-trick. 

The Argentina international looks a player reborn under Mauricio Pochettino this season and the winger completed his treble in just 37 minutes, before Tom Carroll added a late fourth following Stephan El Shaarawy’s second-half consolation.

The victory means Spurs qualify top of Group J and will now be seeded in the last 32, where they can meet the other groups’ runners-up or one of the four unseeded teams that dropped out of the Champions League.

The reward may seem slight given the likes of Valencia, Sevilla and Galatasaray could still lie in wait, but Pochettino will take great satisfaction from a night which saw the likes of Harry Kane rested and fringe players step up to the plate.

Joshua Onomah, an 18-year-old academy product from Enfield, impressed on his first start for the club, while the out-of-favour Carroll made a timely case for more regular inclusion.

The stand-out name, however, was Lamela, who was as creative as he was clinical and appears finally to be delivering on the talent that persuaded Daniel Levy to pay upwards of £26million for him two years ago.

His first goal came inside two minutes as Clinton Njie fed Ben Davies on the overlap and the full-back’s low cross picked out the Argentine, who side-footed home his first of the night with ease.

It was the perfect start for Pochettino’s men, who cruised through the opening 15 minutes and soon doubled their advantage as Lamela’s long shot skidded off the wet turf and underneath the body of keeper Danijel Subasic.

Monaco still failed to respond and it was almost three moments later as Son Heung-min finished off a one-on-one, but the visitors were spared as the forward had strayed just offside.

The respite was temporary, however, as Onomah’s bursting run through midfield finally saw Carroll teed up on the edge of the area, but the midfielder’s bending effort flew narrowly over.

Monaco were happy to pour forward when the occasional attack presented itself but they left gaping holes behind them, which Lamela, Son and Njie exploited on the counter.

One such break saw Son slip Lamela through again and, despite Jeremy Toulalan scrambling across, the 23-year-old drove first time past Subasic to complete his quickfire treble.

Tottenham’s ascendancy was so marked that when Eric Dier momentarily took treatment on a knock to his foot, Pochettino instantly replaced him with Nabil Bentaleb, who made his first Spurs appearance in just over three months.

“I’m fine,” Dier told his manager as he came off but this was no longer a night for risk-taking.

Bentaleb looked rusty, giving away possession at the start of the second half, but Tottenham still looked most likely to score as Onomah’s close range effort was saved by Subasic.

The contest began to drift and Monaco startled a dozing crowd just after the hour mark, when El Shaarawy’s long range strike found its way into the bottom corner.

Unperturbed, Pochettino replaced Lamela and then Njie – noticeably leaving Andros Townsend on the bench as the winger’s exit in January appears ever more inevitable.

There was still time for a final flourish as Carroll, another academy graduate, capitalised on more inept Monaco defending, dancing all the way to the line before slotting home his first senior goal for the club to cap a comfortable night at White Hart Lane.

Wenger rules out Wanyama Bid

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has ruled out a January bid for Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama – but admits he is keeping an eye on the market ahead of possible January signings.

The Gunners boss has been linked with a move for the former Celtic player in various newspapers on Friday, but while Wenger admitted he is a fan of Wanyama, he has dismissed the speculation.

He said: “I rate the player but we are not on the case.”

However, Wenger, who was speaking ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Aston Villa, said he may look to do some business when the transfer market opens again after Christmas.

“We will see what is there,” he said. “We have a whole December to go first.”

Arsenal head into their weekend clash with Aston Villa in high spirits after securing a place in the Champions League last 16 by beating Olympiakos 3-0, with Wenger adding: “It was a fantastic performance but now we are in the last 16 let’s focus on the Premier League where we are in a fantastic position.”

The Gunners are second in the Premier League table, just two points behind leaders Leicester, but with just 10 points separating 1st from 11th, Wenger believes this season will see a wide-open title race.

The Frenchman said: “I think it could be as many as six to eight teams competing for the Premier League title.”

Diego Costa could return to former club Atletico Madrid

Chelsea striker Diego Costa admits he is “open” about a return to former club Atletico Madrid, admitting “you never know” what might happen in football.

The 27-year-old Spain international has struggled for goals this season and was recently dropped to the bench after failing to recapture his excellent first-season form for the Blues.

Costa’s frustrations were laid bare at Tottenham almost a fortnight ago when he threw his substitutes bib at manager Jose Mourinho, after warming up in the second half but not taking to the field.

He has since apologised for his actions, but Costa’s start in the win over Porto on Wednesday was his first in three matches.

Asked about whether he could return to Atletico on Spanish radio station Onda Cero, Costa said: “You never know.

“Look at how well Filipe Luis is doing. Life is full of surprises. I always wish Atletico the best and always follow them and support them from afar.”

Brazil international Luis also struggled at Chelsea but returned to Spain in the summer in a £16m deal.

Costa moved from the Vicente Calderon to Stamford Bridge in a £32m deal in the summer of 2014 and scored 20 goals in 27 appearances in call competitions.

But as Chelsea have imploded in the Premier League, sitting 14th and 14 points short of the top-four following eight defeats in 15 games, Costa has found the net only four times in 19 games.

Moyes - Swansea not the best job for Me

Former Manchester United and Everton boss David Moyes has admitted he is ready to get back into management – despite ruling himself out of the Swansea vacancy.

Moyes has been heavily linked with succeeding Garry Monk, who was sacked on Wednesday after overseeing only one victory in 11 Premier League games at the Welsh club.

But Moyes told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT: “I’m not interested in the (Swansea) job, I let that be known earlier in the week that it wasn’t for me.

“When I was in Spain I was getting offered numerous jobs to come back to England

“And since I’ve lost my job I’ve had several offers to come back here as well as offers to go back abroad.

“I want to spend Christmas at home with the family if I can, but if the right job comes up that really excites me I’m ready to go.

“I don’t need a rest or a break, but I want to make sure the job is the right one.”

Bookmakers made Moyes among the early favourites to succeed Monk, but the Scot feels the 36-year-old was unfortunate to lose his job at the Liberty Stadium after steering to a best eighth-placed Premier League finish last season.

“Swansea have had a really good model,” Moyes said.

“But if you ask people where you would expect Swansea to finish – I know they were exceptional, in the last few years they’ve done a great job – but I think most people would say if they could even get close to the top half they’d be doing well.

“Garry is a young manager who had a good year. He was having a sticky patch like Jose Mourinho and should have been given the chance to put it right.

“But the job for managers is nearly impossible now and, because of that, I think we’ve lost the plot a wee bit over the whole situation.

“It’s difficult to have stability or vision at any club. I was fortunate to have my best years early on at Everton, but I had one good year and then one bad year until we sorted it out and got stable.”

After his sobering eight-month spell as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor at United ended in April 2014, Moyes attempted to rebuild his career in Spain’s Primera Division at Sociedad.

Moyes backing for Neville

It did not prove a success as Moyes spent just under a year in the Basque Country, but the 52-year-old said he was delighted to see Gary Neville recently take the plunge into coaching at Valencia.

“When I went to Spain I hoped more British managers would follow,” Moyes said.

“We keep importing foreign managers on these shores and I used to say to the LMA (League Managers Association) why can’t we send our best coaches abroad, especially the best leagues in Spain, Italy and Germany?

“We’ve been struggling to get into those leagues, so I’m thrilled Gary’s gone out there.

“It’s a chance for him to showcase British coaches but Gary will encounter difficulty at Valencia because it’s an incredibly tough club.

“We played them last year and lost 2-0 and the press there were asking me after: ‘Do you think we can catch Barcelona and Real Madrid?’

“I told them: ‘No chance’. They see themselves as competing with Atletico Madrid, but that’s impossible as well because they’re a really good team.

“But it’s a great challenge for Gary and he will experience things that he’s not seen before.”

EPL Matchday 16

Matchday 16

• 12/12
  NOR
  13:45
  EVE
• 12/12
  CRY
  16:00
  SOT
• 12/12
  WHU
  16:00
  STO
• 12/12
  MCI
  16:00
  SWA
• 12/12
  SUN
  16:00
  WAT
• 12/12
  BOR
  18:30
  MUN
• 13/12
  AST
  14:30
  ARS
• 13/12
  TOT
  17:00
  NEW
• 13/12
  LIV
  17:00
  WBA
• 14/12
  LEI
  21:00
  CHE

VIEW ALL