adminMANCHESTER. — Louis van Gaal believes Manchester United’s 2-1 home defeat by Swansea City in his first competitive game as manager accurately reflects the enormity of the task ahead of him. Van Gaal also confessed that his Manchester United players’ confidence had “been smashed” following a shock defeat against Swansea City at Old Trafford.
He also accused some of them of not being able to cope with the expectation which playing for the club automatically demands and added that it doesn’t get much worse than losing the first game of the new season.
Although he refused to be drawn on transfer targets with the deadline growing ever closer Italian sources claimed on Sunday night that United had submitted a £25 million bid for Roma defender Mehdi Benatia while Ajax’s Daley Blind is also believed to be moving nearer to a reunion with his Holland boss.
A spate of injuries forced Van Gaal to hand competitive debuts to two academy graduates — Tyler Blackett and Jesse Lingard — and his three central defenders had an average age of 22.
Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera made his competitive debut, but United’s only other close-season recruit, left-back Luke Shaw, is currently sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Swansea manager Garry Monk said that he was unmoved by pre-season predictions that his side would face a struggle to avoid relegation.
“I don’t care. It’s about us, getting ourselves right. What other people say outside the club, I don’t care,” said the former Swansea captain. — AFP.
Online Reporter