Manchester United and Louis van Gaal ready for Liverpool Europa League reckoning
Dutchman faces a defining moment in his United tenure when his side attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit at Old Trafford
Louis van Gaal faces a defining moment in his Manchester United tenure on Thursday when his side attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Liverpool in the Europa League.
It’s a big challenge, but we have to believe in it. I have spoken only to the players about victory
United were soundly beaten in last week’s last 16 first leg at Anfield and Juergen Klopp's hungry, high-pressing Liverpool would have put the tie out of sight were it not for the reflexes of visiting goalkeeper David de Gea.
Van Gaal enjoyed a rare rousing moment at Old Trafford on Sunday when Anthony Martial's 83rd-minute equaliser against West Ham United kept his team in the FA Cup, but a second successive non-performance against Liverpool could make it a torrid evening for the under-fire Dutchman.
“We owe always to the fans a big result because the fans are paying to see that and we have to deliver.”
United’s 1-1 draw with West Ham means that failure to overturn Liverpool’s advantage will not signal the end of their trophy-winning ambitions this season, but the club’s increasingly frustrated supporters are unlikely to forgive an approach as meek as the one witnessed in the first leg.
Van Gaal was adamant afterwards that his philosophy is working, but the evidence of the match told its own story.