Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has come to the defence of Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, stating that the Old Trafford fans should be grateful for what the Dutchman has achieved this season.
The former Netherlands boss took over from David Moyes in the summer and has led the historic club into top four contention this season.
However, with the Manchester-based club still not playing a scintillating brand of football, some of the Old Trafford faithful have been sceptical over Van Gaal’s style of play and queried why after vast summer expenditure the club are not in the title race.
Despite the criticism, Carragher has stated that the former Bayern Munich boss has excelled this season and talk of a title push his term was foolish.
“When Louis van Gaal was unveiled last summer, what position did you imagine Manchester United would be in going into the final 10 games?” Carragher wrote in his Daily Mail column.
“If you envisaged them leading the title race, you would have been kidding yourself.
“There was never any chance of United finishing in front of Chelsea and Manchester City this season.
“Yet given the way some people are talking about United at the moment, there seems to be disappointment and mystification that Van Gaal’s team are in the middle of a fight to get into the top four and not perched in top spot, setting an unrelenting pace.
“I keep hearing similar criticisms of Van Gaal, how his team do not play ‘the United way’ and regular accusations that they have been lucky. But he keeps getting results.
“If Chelsea grind out a victory, Jose Mourinho gets praised, so when United do the same, why doesn’t Van Gaal?”
United’s next fixture sees them face Arsenal in a mouthwatering FA Cup clash.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are currently in fourth place in the running for Champions League qualification, a point behind the Gunners and one above Liverpool.
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