If LVG wins a trophy, will United fans want him to stay?

AFTER hailing the debut of Marcus Rashford, Manchester United’s unexpected hero, Louis van Gaal began talking about a turning point in the season. Beating FC Midtjylland has opened the door to a brilliant Europa League draw, a last-16 showdown with Liverpool. That two-legged tie will sandwich the FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford against West Ham. United are out of the title race but they still have two excellent chances to win silverware. But I have been thinking to myself: how many United fans actually want it to be a turning point? When a manager is reaching the end of his time at a club and fans are desperate for change, there is always a fear that winning a trophy might lead to the man they want out staying on — would success in the FA Cup or Europa League mean Van Gaal will be in charge next season? Or will everything be determined by whether Van Gaal (left) finishes in the top four? Kenny Dalglish, remember, won the League Cup with Liverpool in 2012 and took us to the FA Cup final but he lost his job because we finished eighth in the table. At the turn of the century, the thought of changing managers after winning a trophy or two would have been laughed at, but now we have come to accept it. It looks inevitable that Van Gaal will be replaced by Jose Mourinho. I said when he was appointed that it felt like he came from the era of Marcello Lippi and Fabio Capello, a coach who was at the peak of his powers in the 1990s, but then a new breed came along and changed things. Don’t bet against Van Gaal going out with a bang, particularly with his record in big games being good: he has won all four of his matches against Liverpool for example. Managers who have a history of winning trophies — which Van Gaal has — often find a way of adding another before they leave. Van Gaal will be desperate to do that, even if some United fans don’t feel the same.