LVG ENJOYS SECURITY AT THE TOP
AS LONG as he remains in England, Louis van Gaal will present the public with contradictions.
To try to second-guess him is like trying to predict which way a leaf will fall from a tree.
At Old Trafford on Saturday evening it was proving difficult to gauge his mood on seeing Manchester United climb to the top of the Premier League.
However, asked for the second time if he felt some pride, the mask slipped as he said: ‘Of course, of course.
‘I said to the security guy downstairs you are now a security guy of a club that is top of the league, and that makes a huge difference for everyone. He is proud and I am proud.’
United may not play the most exciting football Old Trafford has ever seen but first is first, and van Gaal hinted that his team’s position in the hierarchy is vindication for his methods since arriving at the club 15 months ago.
‘Last season you asked, “Can you manage in England?”’ he added. ‘I said I needed time and it’s the same.
‘I know exactly where I stand. We have a good team but we can win and lose.
‘You need luck but the balance of the team is better than last season. We shall improve every week.’
Against a Sunderland team who continue to look lost in almost every way, United were always in control without being particularly fluent.
Once again young Frenchman Anthony Martial was United’s best player, though he left the goalscoring to Memphis Depay, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney.
Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat suggested he may have to change his whole style and even abandon some dear principles if he is to drag his team upwards. We brought some new players in and you hope they will do things,’ he said. ‘But they don’t seem at the moment to be making a difference. We have to think about the way we are playing to find a way to be more successful.’ MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Blind (Jones 74min), Darmian; Carrick (Schweinsteiger 69), Schneiderlin; Mata, Rooney, Depay (Young 77); Martial. Subs not used: Romero. Herrera, Fellaini, Pereira. Scorers: Depay 45, Rooney 46, Mata 90. SUNDERLAND (4-1-4-1): Pantilimon; Jones, O’Shea, Kaboul, Van Aanholt; Cattermole; Johnson (Fletcher 45), M’Vila, Toivonen (Larsson 70), Lens; Borini. Subs not used: Coates, Defoe, Gomez, Mannone, Yedlin.