Louis Van Gaal has launched another defence of his perceived negative tactics ahead of today’s trip to Liverpool and warned there must be more to come if Manchester United are to regain their position at the pinnacle of the Premier League.
Despite being pilloried for the number of blanks drawn by his side this season, Van Gaal insists United must learn more from how Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea ground out the results last year on their way to another top-flight title.
His reiteration of his controversial methods comes at the end of a week in which he criticised his side for blowing a two-goal lead in what turned out to be a rare and richly entertaining 3-3 draw with struggling Newcastle at St James’ Park.
And it is in stark contrast to his opposite number today, Jurgen Klopp, who spent his own pre-match press conference expounding upon his belief that pure entertainment is the best way to win over fans and ultimately earn results.
Time to reignite an old rivalry. @SchneiderlinMo4 is ready to control the game ⚫️ ⚪️ #ACE15 #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/q1BmHrQuwx
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 17, 2016Van Gaal said: “We have to be fighting for first position and now we are not fighting for first position when we don’t win at Newcastle in those circumstances.
“When you are in those circumstances you have to control the game. Chelsea last year did that – they won with one goal difference – they finished the game then, and a champion has to do that.”
Van Gaal conceded he found himself in the unusual position of being less pleased than United’s supporters following the midweek result, in a strange shift in the pressure which has been accumulating on the Dutchman’s shoulders.
He can expect more calls to quit if he fails to get a result at Anfield over Klopp, whom he enc-ountered four times during their respective managerial careers in the Bundesliga, and whom he obviously believes will be a success in the Premier League.
Another German, Bastian Schweinsteiger, looks almost certain to miss out on today’s trip through injury, while Michael Carrick is also out and Adnan Januzaj could return to the bench after the end of his loan spell in Germany.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s new centre-back Steven Caulker admits his move to Anfield is still something of a shock – not entirely eased by making his debut as a striker.
It's matchday. Come on, Reds! https://t.co/XfX2eg4cu1
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 17, 2016Just over 24 hours after completing a loan move from QPR after being recalled from Southampton the 24-year-old was thrown on up front by Klopp as they chased the game against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Fellow substitute Joe Allen salvaged a point with a 90th-minute equaliser and Caulker was immediately sent back to familiar territory to spend the remaining added time alongside Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho at the back.
It was a bizarre way to cap a surreal couple of days for the former Tottenham defender.
“I was shocked, I thought the gaffer was joking when he said it (go up front),” Caulker said. “With only four or five minutes to go we had to go for it and it paid off. It was exciting.
“I was delighted to get on the pitch and help rescue a point. It has been a bit of a roller-coaster but the adrenaline dragged me through.”
Shock is a word which keeps coming up as Caulker reflects on the speed of his move to Merseyside.
Klopp has spoken of his desire to bring in a central defender to help cover for injuries to Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren but Caulker’s name was not touted as one of the contenders with speculation suggesting the German would go for a foreign player like Neven Subotic, whom he worked with at Borussia Dortmund.
He is likely to have to settle for a place on the bench today but Liverpool’s two-goal hero against Arsenal, Roberto Firmino, should be rewarded for his performance with another start in the false nine position against the arch-enemies.
