One week left to save the season
It’s one step forward, two steps back for LVG after Anfield setback
THIS week is all or nothing for Louis van Gaal and Manchester United.
And if he is going to continue as the Manchester United boss, then he simply has to win the FA Cup.
And even then, it still might be irrelevant. Manchester United have to qualify for the Champions League.
Van Gaal has to win a trophy, so just like Arsene Wenger two seasons ago, the FA Cup is, realistically, the only competition left.
And the least Manchester United supporters can expect, and demand, after the horror show at Anfield this week, is to beat West Ham today and get into the semi-finals.
Just when it looked like he might actually survive a dreadful season at Old Trafford, van Gaal has made a real mess of things.
One minute his team look like a top four side, the next they look like a mid-table side who would struggle to beat a team from the Championship.
The terrible performance at Anfield means that the Dutchman has ended up putting all his eggs in one basket. And his season could all fall apart this week.
Aside from a very difficult Europa League second leg against their great rivals Liverpool on Thursday night, they have the very difficult task of seeing off West Ham in the FA Cup quarter-finals today.
He must be relieved they are at home but Slaven Bilic’s team are in great form, particularly on their travels, and are above United in the league for a reason. They will be travelling without any fear and certainly brimming with confidence.
The same cannot be said about Van Gaal’s team who look a shadow of the side which defeated Arsenal just a few weeks ago and looked ready to mount a challenge for the top four, two trophies and Champions League qualification through the Europa League.
Manchester United were awful on Thursday night. Marcus Rashford had one chance in the first couple of minutes, but that was it. Apart from one Morgan Schneiderlin effort, I cannot remember a shot on target all night.
The game may have been decided by what van Gaal insisted was two ‘cheap goals’ but Liverpool could have scored five or six. He said the game changed with the award of the Liverpool penalty. He’s wrong. Liverpool were on top from the start.
The difference was Manchester United have one of the best keepers in the world. But how much longer will David de Gea be around to save his team if Real Madrid come calling again?
Unless they qualify for the Champions League, how can they expect to keep hold of him?
The Dutch manager got his team selection wrong too, going for a more physical side with Fellaini back in the midfield, but then failed to make the most of his aerial presence and Liverpool’s clear weaknesses at set pieces and crosses. It is all very well getting the ball in wide areas, but it needs to be crossed into the penalty area!
It just feels like one step forward, two step back under Van Gaal. After a good couple of weeks, the cup wins and that excellent victory over Arsenal, I expected Manchester United to kick on.
But van Gaal set the wrong tone in the build-up to the Liverpool game, unlike Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp completely embraced the game, its traditions and its massive importance to both sets if fans, describing it as ‘the mother of all games’.
But van Gaal said it was just another game and he sneered at those ‘living in the past’.
It reminded me of that arrogant attitude Ruud Gullit showed prior to the Tyne-Wear derby all those years ago when he made the mistake of leaving Alan Shearer on the bench. That arrogance cost Gullit his job…
Perhaps it is reading too much into it, but that looked like the attitude of the two teams from the off.
Liverpool went for United from kick-off and out of possession they were as good as they were a couple of years ago with Sterling, Suarez, Sturridge and Gerrard when they came close to winning the title.
Anfield was on fire and the atmosphere was incredible and if they do get into the last eight, Anfield will be a significant factor because if they get a home draw for the first leg, Liverpool can win a tie against any of the teams left in the competition. And there are some very good teams still in it from across Europe.
The only disappointment for Liverpool will be that they didn’t score more, although that clean sheet could be vital.
Manchester United do have a sniff, especially if they can score early in the second leg and get the Old Trafford faithful right behind them.
But Klopp will just send his team out to do exactly the same thing and I can’t see Liverpool not scoring.