Van Gaal: We’re braced for a bombardment
From Back Page he didn’t know when it happened. That’s the difficulty.’ Rooney will miss United’s Europa League clash with Midtjylland in Denmark tonight and the return leg at Old Trafford in a week’s time, as well as Monday’s FA Cup trip to Shrewsbury and up to five Premier League games, including Arsenal’s visit on February 28 and the derby on March 20. It represents a huge setback to United’s faltering campaign, with Van Gaal under mounting pressure to deliver Champions League football next season. Rooney is his top scorer with 14 goals, having struck seven in the last nine games. The Dutchman only has two recognised strikers in Anthony Martial and Will Keane but denied he blundered last summer by allowing Javier Hernandez, Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao to leave without bringing in reinforcements. ‘I don’t think that’s the case,’ he said. ‘l knew in advance that Rooney would play a lot of matches because he has shown that every year. We have to cope with that problem because everyone can get injured.’ Rooney has also been ruled out of England’s friendlies against Germany and Holland next month. The more immediate problem for Van Gaal is guiding United through a difficult first leg against Midtjylland in the MCH Arena. Rooney was one of 13 players left behind on the treatment table when United set off for Denmark yesterday with an 18-man squad that contained 10 players under the age of 23. ‘Normally you don’t have 13 injuries,’ said the United boss. ‘When you analyse the injuries it’s ridiculous. They are all contact injuries and that’s bad luck.’ In the absence of eight defenders
and imposing Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini, Van Gaal is concerned about the threat posed to his team from set-pieces. No club in Europe apart from Atletico Madrid scored more goals from corners and free-kicks last season than Midtjylland and coach Jess Thorup confirmed yesterday that it is an area of weakness they have detected in United. ‘This team specialise in set-plays,’ said Van Gaal. ‘We’ll try to defend them but it’s difficult when you have 10 centimetres to make up.’ The Dutchman also offered support to United fans who have protested at having to pay more than £70 to see the game in Herning tonight. Around 800 are making the trip to Denmark but have been forced to pay substantially more for a ticket than the £22 it cost Southampton fans when their team played at the MCH Arena in a qualifier last August. Tickets for Midtjylland’s home games usually cost £15. ‘I support the fans,’ said Van Gaal. ‘It is a big difference from the price of the Southampton game. It shows you that Manchester United are a big team in this world, but I have a lot of sympathy for the fans.’