Van Gaal hints at quitting

STOKE, England — Louis van Gaal raised the prospect of quitting as Manchester United manager after Stoke condemned the club to a fourth straight loss for the first time in 54 years on Saturday.

The 2-0 loss at the windy Britannia Stadium pushed United down to sixth place in the English Premier League, and Van Gaal is sensing the pressure after barely 18 months in charge.

“I can also quit by myself,” Van Gaal said when asked if he had received assurances about his future from the club hierarchy. “That is something I speak to (vice chairman) Ed Woodward (about) by himself — not with you (reporters).

“It is not always ... the club has to fire or sack me. Sometimes I do it by myself. I am the one who wants to speak first with the board of Manchester United and with my members of staff and players — and not with you.”

United was in disarray defensively in the first half when Memphis Depay’s horrendous defending allowed Bojan Krkic to score, and Marko Arnautovic powered in Stoke’s second goal from outside the penalty area.

United captain Wayne Rooney watched it all from the sidelines after being dropped to the bench for the first time in a league match in almost two years. United came to life only in the second half after Rooney was brought on, but Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland thwarted any hopes of a comeback.

“The circumstances were difficult — not only the circumstances, the wind, but also the pressure,” Van Gaal said. “That is in my opinion the reason they don’t dare to play football (in the first half).”

The losing streak started with Champions League elimination, and has also seen United drop out of the Premier League top four by losing to Bournemouth and Norwich.

Winless in seven matches, United has little time to recover its confidence, with a home match against Chelsea on Monday.

Asked if he would be in charge for the game, Van Gaal said: “You will have to wait and see. But I think so.”

“I try to do everything but the pressure shall be every match higher and higher, and we have to solve that problem,” added Van Gaal, who has been in charge since July 2014. “It’s more difficult because I am now part of the four matches we have lost and people are looking at me.”

A day after British astronaut Tim Peake displayed a Stoke flag on the International Space Station, the central England team was in a different orbit to United in the first half.

Depay’s mind seemed to be on another planet when he sent a downward header back toward goalkeeper David de Gea in an attempt to clear Geoff Cameron’s deep ball.

Depay, a winger in the right back position, was unaware that Glen Johnson was primed to dart in and seize possession before crossing for Krkic, who took a touch then slotted the ball into the net in the 19th minute.

“It was a bad goal to give away,” Van Gaal said.

If United’s players were fighting to save their manager’s job, they didn’t demonstrate it. Their response lacked any burning desire to end their slump.

And the mission facing United became even tougher seven minutes later. Krkic’s free kick was blocked by the United wall but the ball came back out to the edge of the penalty area and Arnautovic’s powerful strike beat De Gea.

United was offering little in response, with Depay’s free kick parried by Butland, and Marouane Fellaini was offside as he tried to react.

United was spared further misery before the interval when Arnautovic ran onto Krkic’s throughball but missed the target with his shot.

As usual, on the United bench there was little outgoing evidence of concern, with neither Van Gaal nor assistant Ryan Giggs springing out of their seats to berate or inspire their team.

Van Gaal’s about-turn came at halftime when Rooney spent the break warming up before coming on to replace Depay.

Rooney’s first significant contribution came after 20 minutes on the field, cutting the ball back for Fellaini six yards in front of goal. But rather than slamming the ball high into the net, Fellaini shot low and lacking power, allowing Butland to make a diving save.

In the closing minutes, Rooney this time set up Juan Mata but again Butland made the vital save. And Butland also pushed Anthony Martial’s attempt round the post as Stoke completed a December double over Manchester clubs, having already beaten City.

Stoke is three points behind United, which manager Mark Hughes used to play for. United is three points adrift of fourth-place Tottenham.

Manchester United transfer rumours and news: Real Madrid reignite David De Gea interest?

PLUS: Under-fire United boss Louis van Gaal could walk away from his job before he is sacked, should the club go on to lose a fifth straight game.

Manchester United's woes are set to be compounded with Real Madrid poised to renew their efforts to sign David De Gea, according to the Daily Star on Sunday.

The Spaniard is still believed to be a target of Los Blancos, but will only likely move next summer.

De Gea signed a bumper new deal at Old Trafford after the proposed summer move collapsed at the last moment.

But Real are expected to be prepared to pay the bigger money required to secure his signature in the summer, making him their new No.1 as he was initially planned to be this season.

LVG set to QUIT Old Trafford?

Time is up: Van Gaal's time at Old Trafford appears to be coming to an end

Louis van Gaal could QUIT as Manchester United manager if his struggling stars lose a fifth game in a row against Chelsea.

Defeat to Stoke pilled the misery on Van Gaal as his job continues to remain in the balance.

But following the game, he reportedly said that he is ready to leave the post before Old Trafford chiefs take action themselves.

He said: "It is not always the club that has to sack me. Sometimes I do it by myself. I am the one who wants to speak first."

It is believed that Ryan Giggs would step in as interim manager of United.

Van Gaal accuses players of being too scared to play

Woes: Van Gaal looks dejected on the United bench

Louis van Gaal turned on his floundering stars last night and accused them of being too scared to play football because of the mounting pressure.

Van Gaal watched in horror at Stoke as Manchester United crashed to a third-straight league defeat after two goals in seven first-half minutes by Bojan and Marko Arnautovic, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.

Despite a second-half United revival, which saw Stoke’s England keeper Jack Butland deny Marouane Fellaini, Anthony Martial and Juan Mata, Van Gaal is on the brink of the sack.

But the 64-year-old Dutchman refused to take all the blame himself last night: “My thoughts are that we didn’t dare to play our football in the first half and then we gave a really bad goal away. At that time it was too much.

“We didn’t play our football because of the pressure and we would not cope with the circumstances either as a group or individual players.

“I said at half-time we had nothing to lose and we coped better after that.

“You can say I failed in my job because they could not cope but in the end the players must do that for themselves. You can say I failed but I don’t think it is like that.”

Yorke slams LVG's decision to drop Rooney

Dwight Yorke claimed Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal dropped a clanger leaving skipper Wayne Rooney on the bench at Stoke, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.

England striker Rooney only appeared after the break, by which time United were 2-0 down.

And United 1999 treble-winner Yorke said: “Leaving out your talisman meant that Van Gaal got it wrong.

“I just think the timing was wrong. To leave your captain out is a big call. It went against him today and that was the wrong move.

“It was painful watching them, they were short in every department.

“They need the likes of a Javier Hernandez or Ole Solskjaer because that scoring spark is lacking, but we can’t bring those players back.

“The players that have replaced them are not good enough and that is their downfall.”

Fellow Reds legend Rio Ferdinand admitted: “I’m not even surprised, that’s what hurts even more.”

Depay causes stir with Rolls Royce convertible

Flash: Depay rocked up to training in a brand new Rolls Royce

Memphis Depay has caused a stir again with his off-field behaviour – by turning up to training in a flashy Rolls Royce convertible.

The £25million signing from PSV Eindhoven, who was badly at fault for Stoke’s opening goal in Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat on Saturday, shocked management and senior players by arriving at United’s Carrington training complex in the £240,000 Phantom Drophead Coupe luxury supercar, reports Steve Bates in the Sunday People.

The 21-year-old’s displays have been far from sparkling and his movements off the pitch have concerned senior figures at the club. And he’s been advised to concentrate on making sure his on-field performances are right before allowing his off the pitch individualism to colour the judgement of his critics.

What is going wrong for Memphis Depay at Man Utd?

The winger cut a confident figure upon his arrival at Old Trafford, but his performances on the pitch and thirst for the good life off it, have raised eyebrows inside the club.

At his unveiling as a Manchester United player in July, Memphis Depay didn't just walk into Old Trafford - he strutted.

While most people in the room were busy asking United manager Louis van Gaal about the future of David de Gea, Depay quickly ensured he became the focus of attention by playing down comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo but insisting he would aim to hold a similar standing with the club's supporters.

“I don’t want to say I can be like somebody like that, but I think I can excite the fans,” he told reporters.

“It’s not easy, of course. I have trained three times this week and I already feel the difference from playing in the Dutch league. I have to prove myself and work hard so I can show the boss I can handle it.”

His new manager liked the way Depay backed his own ability, and the reward for the 21-year-old was the coveted Manchester United No.7 shirt.

“I think he’s one of the few highly-talented boys of his age,” Van Gaal said of the Netherlands international. “He’s full of confidence, as you can hear, but he also knows there’s a difference between the Premier League and the Dutch league.”



And right now, Depay is certainly feeling it. With just one goal in eight Premier League appearances the former PSV star has massively underwhelmed in front of goal, while his all-round contribution has left many fans frustrated. His failure to have an impact in the fixtures against Liverpool and Arsenal – United’s two most high-profile games so far – resulted in him being substituted at half-time on both occasions.

It didn’t get any easier for him during the recent international break either. While the Netherlands crashed out of European Championship qualifying, Depay’s form dropped to new lows. His inability to find team-mates with simple passes at regular intervals against Kazakhstan and Czech Republic came at a time when he is still looking to impress Van Gaal, who cherishes ball retention above all else.

Depay also ran into trouble on the Dutch squad’s practice pitch when Robin van Persie reacted angrily to him not passing the ball during a training match. The pair came to blows momentarily and, while it was soon forgotten by the two players, it has been held up by some as the latest example of Depay's lack of professionalism.

When he first arrived in Manchester, Depay demanded a six-bedroom apartment with a private pool and a cinema room only to be told that the club’s usual practice is to offer new players less extravagant premises in the city’s leafy suburbs near their Carrington training ground.







After showing a desire to be based close to compatriot Daley Blind, the attacker ended up moving into the city centre’s Beetham Tower, the tallest residential building in Europe which offers breath-taking views across Manchester.

It also used to be home to Mario Balotelli during his wild-child spell across the town with Manchester City and, while Depay won't necessarily end up treading the same sort of path, it is clear that city-centre living is not United’s preferred choice of accommodation for their star signings. And quite what the club made of the recent delivery of his boxing ring – previously set up in his Eindhoven apartment – remains to be seen.

The Dutchman’s love of the social scene has been raised as a concern lately, with his decision to go out on the town immediately following United’s 3-0 loss at Arsenal last time out resulting in stern words in private from Ryan Giggs. The assistant manager expressed a worry that his work hard, play hard demeanour was losing a sense of balance.

After a match in which Depay failed to have any impact in attack and showed no inclination to track back and help an overwhelmed midfield, he would doubtless have been better served keeping a low profile. His outlandish clothing and expensive accessories are harmless enough, however headline-grabbing they tend to be, but ill timing of a night out is a sure-fire way to get people’s backs up.

Still, much of this will be forgotten if he can begin to find his feet on the pitch. He is known to be a diligent trainer, and a consistent delivery of the hard work he promised upon his arrival may well help him to turn the corner. The problem with being Manchester United’s No.7 is that a huge amount is expected, and quickly - especially if you have arrived for £25 million.

But a brash exterior will only pile on more pressure, and that is where the Netherlands international is currently finding life tough. If you’re delivering on the field, such an approach is considered to be healthy confidence. Struggle, and it is seen as arrogance.

Ajax manager Frank de Boer said this week that he believes Van Gaal is the perfect man to make a United great out of Depay.

“I think Depay needs that kind of coach,” he told Omnisport. “He has a great mentality but still he is very young and has to know what he has to do to stay on that level or even get better. I think Van Gaal is the right person for that.

“I think he can be a great player for Manchester United because he has everything; he has speed, he has technique, he can score goals and physically he is very strong.”

In the demanding world of modern football, United fans will be hoping Van Gaal can work his magic sooner rather than later to drag Depay out of his current funk.

David de Gea puts failed Real Madrid move behind him

The Manchester United goalkeeper is focusing on his job now.

David de Gea says he is looking to put failed move to Real Madrid behind him.

The Manchester United goalkeeper was desperate to leave for the Spanish capital club, but the move fell through on deadline day.

He has since resumed his responsibilities in the Manchester United goal.

"I am a guy who likes to put the bad things and difficult moments behind me," the Spain goalkeeper on Canal Plus.

"I had a lot of tough times and I know what it is. You have to move forward and keep working just as hard.

"It is a learning process that football gives you, tough moments that make you mature and grow. They are the things you learn from the world of football. You have to keep working and try to improve in every training session." 

Rooney helps Man United beat Everton 3-0 in Premier League

Manchester United bounced back from its drubbing against Arsenal to beat Everton 3-0 on an emotional day at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Former Everton striker Wayne Rooney sealed the win shortly after the hour, with his first away league goal in 11 months, after Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera had put United firmly in control inside 22 minutes.

Manchester United remained two points behind leader Manchester City, while Everton slipped to ninth.

There was a somber mood after former Everton player and manager Howard Kendall died earlier Saturday at the age of 69. He led Everton to two league championships and a European title in the mid-1980s in the first of three coaching spells with the club.

Both sets of players wore black armbands and there was a minute's silence before kickoff. A video of Kendall's time at the club was also played on the big screen before the match.

Everton was aiming for a fourth successive home win over United but Louis van Gaal's side was looking to recover from the humiliating 3-0 defeat to Arsenal.

United grew stronger as the game progressed and took the lead in the 18th minute after poor defending from Everton, which failed to clear a corner. Marcos Rojo knocked the ball back into the area and Chris Smalling chested it into the path of Schneiderlin, who fired across into the bottom right corner for his first goal for the club.

The visitors doubled their lead four minutes later as Rojo put in a pinpoint cross for Herrera to head powerfully home.

United had chances to extended its lead before halftime and Anthony Martial saw a weak shot comfortably saved by Tim Howard after Rooney had cut the ball back to the Frenchman.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez brought on Arouna Kone for Steven Naismith and the hosts looked more purposeful after the break.

They almost got one back 10 minutes into the second half but United goalkeeper David de Gea pulled off a great reaction save to keep out Romelu Lukaku's shot with his foot.

United sealed the result shortly afterward. Schneiderlin collected Phil Jagielka's wayward pass and found Herrera, who threaded the ball into the path of Rooney for the England forward to race forward and fire past Howard.

It was Rooney's first goal at Goodison Park for eight years, and his 187th in the Premier League — taking him level with former Manchester United striker Andy Cole in second in the all-time Premier League scoring charts, 73 behind Alan Shearer.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/article39601083.html#storylink=cpy

English keepers, once reckoned the world’s best, are now an endangered species

THE WEEKEND DOSSIER: For an England manager this lack of depth is a worry.

A goalkeeper is used to standing alone, but Joe Hart will very much be the odd man out today. In an eight-match Premier League programme he is likely to be the only English goalkeeper on duty. 

This is partly because Norwich City play tomorrow and Stoke City on Monday, partly because Ben Foster is injured, but primarily because English goalkeepers are finding it even harder than native players in other positions to win a place in the game’s most multinational league.

When Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence were contesting the England No 1 shirt, with Joe Corrigan and Phil Parkes in the wings and the likes of Mark Wallington and Paul Cooper the supporting cast, it seemed English keepers, who caught the ball rather than punched it, were the world’s best.

They were certainly the best at dealing with the physicality of the English game. Now, although keepers as good as David De Gea struggle at first to deal with the mid-air buffeting, better protection from referees and specialist coaching enable foreign custodians to bridge the gap swiftly. The need for keepers to be technically proficient with their feet usually favours foreigners.

David Seaman in action for England in 1998

Thus, amid the speculation swirling around De Gea earlier this season the idea that the Spanish No 1 might be permanently replaced between the Old Trafford sticks by an Englishman was never raised. There is only one English keeper operating at a level to satisfy Manchester United’s ambitions, and Manchester City are never going to sell Hart to their neighbours.

Hart is not the only English goalkeeper holding down a place in the Premier League, but his only company this weekend is likely to be John Ruddy of Norwich and Jack Butland of Stoke. The cupboard might not look so bare but for injuries to Foster and Fraser Forster, Hart’s understudies in the 2014 World Cup squad. West Bromwich’s Foster should reclaim his place when fit, but Forster may not – Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has brought in his Dutch compatriot Maarten Steklenburg.

In the circumstances it is hardly surprising the England manager, Roy Hodgson, dipped into the Football League, where most keepers are still English, to fill the bench last week. Burnley’s uncapped Tom Heaton supported Butland as he played his first full 90 minutes for England on Monday. Depending on Foster’s recovery they could both go to France next summer. It is a far cry from France 1998, when David Seaman was backed by two hugely experienced No 1s in Tim Flowers and Nigel Martyn. 

The net had to be cast even wider by Under-21 coach Gareth Southgate. With a new age cycle starting, it has been a struggle to find three eligible goalkeepers. Butland, Jonathan Bond and Marcus Bettinelli, the trio who went to the summer’s Under-21 finals, are now too old.

Southgate started Jordan Pickford on Tuesday, with Christian Walton on the bench and Joe Wildsmith as back-up. They have 13 Championship appearances between them, none in the top flight. Pickford is on Sunderland’s books but his first-team experience has all been elsewhere, currently at Preston. Walton is third choice at Brighton, Wildsmith has just broken into Sheffield Wednesday’s team.

Their lack of top-flight action is not that surprising: goalkeepers traditionally develop later than outfielders. The worrying thing is that their already slim opportunities are in decline with a rise in foreign back-up. 

In the summer Bond, tiring of understudying Heurelho Gomes at Watford, went to Reading, where he now contests a place with Oman’s Ali al-Habsi. Bond was replaced by a 27-year-old Lithuanian with Champions League experience, Giedrius Arlauskis, whose ability was evident against England on Monday. This highlights an aspect that, more even than the lack of front-line keepers, reveals how deep is the English goalkeeping crisis. Of the 40 back-up keepers in the Premier League only 12 are English. Thus of the 60 main keepers employed by Premier League clubs, 16 are English. Eight clubs do not have an English keeper in the first-team squad. 

For an England manager this lack of depth is a worry and the FA has been taking steps to ameliorate the situation. For six years it has run regular two-day residential camps at St George’s Park for young English keepers aged 14 to 17. About 50 attend annually, alumni including Butland, Bettinelli and Pickford. There has also been a steady expansion in courses for goalkeeper coaches, with 3,200 now qualified to work in the pro game.

The former Newcastle and Wales keeper Martin Thomas, senior national goalkeeping coach at the FA, said: “I’ve been working across the England development teams since 1992 and if you look now across all age groups I believe there is a deeper pool of talent, so long-term I think the state of English goalkeeping is healthy. 

“The problem is people tend to focus on the very top of the game and their perceptions become skewed as they assume the ratio of English goalkeepers should be higher. The Premier League is a world league, which means our very best are competing against what the rest of the world can offer. At that top end, there is a reluctance to go with inexperience, which is where the issues occur for our young English players, including goalkeepers, to be given the opportunity.”

Hence the sight of foreign keepers on the bench every week, few of whom ever play. According to FA figures, 40 per cent of all foreign keepers signed by English professional clubs went on to make zero first-team appearances for that club, and 70 per cent made fewer than 20. Which is why goalkeepers are a target of the FA chairman Greg Dyke’s crackdown on work permits.

At some point this afternoon Hart will hear the City fans behind him begin singing “Blue Moon”, with the line “You saw me standing alone…” He will not, the FA hope, always be England’s lone world-class goalkeeper

De Gea Names African As Best Finisher He's Played Against

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has named an African as the best finisher he has ever played against, snubbing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo has scored four goals in seven games against De Gea, most of them during the goalkeeper's time at Atletico Madrid.

Messi has also netted four times against De Gea, but did it in just three games. However, it's Samuel Eto'o who the Spaniard mentions as the best finisher he has come up against. 

"It's hard, there are so many… I'll say Samuel Eto'o," he told United's official website.

De Gea also insisted that his former teammate Javier Hernandez, who joined Bayer Leverkusen the latest transfer window, is the top striker he has teamed up with.

"My great friend Chicharito," he answered, when asked who the best finisher he has played with was.

De Gea has returned to his best form at United after his transfer to Real Madrid broke down at the eleventh hour.

The Spaniard excelled in Spain's 1-0 win over Ukraine on Tuesday, and many expect him to replace Iker Casillas as his country's first-choice keeper for the 2016 European Championship.