LVG vows to fight through Man U uncertainty – Hiddink pleased with striker-less Chelsea’s point

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, Dec 29, (Agencies): Louis van Gaal has vowed to fight on as Manchester United manager, but admits that the matter may yet be taken out of his hands by the club’s board.

The Dutchman, 64, has faced three weeks of speculation after a run of games that has seen United slip to sixth place in the Premier League table and limp out of the Champions League in the group phase.

Despite an improved display, they could only draw 0-0 with misfiring champions Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday — their sixth goalless stalemate at home of the season — but Van Gaal said that behind the scenes, everyone at the club was pulling in the same direction.

“The environment (around the club) is making the crisis,” he said.

“Inside the club the players are willing to fight for every metre, the manager is willing to fight, the members of staff are willing to fight and the board is very confident in the staff and their manager.”

Speaking after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, which was United’s fourth in a row, a subdued Van Gaal had suggested that he could elect to leave the club rather than wait for the axe to fall.

But he was defiant after the draw with Chelsea, proclaiming “I shall not resign” in a television interview, and explaining that he had raised the issue of resignation merely to demonstrate that the club did not hold all the cards with regard to his future.

He also said that he had walked out of a press conference prior to the Stoke game in protest at “lies” in the media.

“That’s the reason I walk away in the press conference,” he said. “Not with a ‘stormy’ head or ‘angry’ head. No, I walk with a quietness because I want to make my point.”

United appeared to have rediscovered an element of vim in the early stages against Chelsea, with Juan Mata and Anthony Martial hitting the woodwork.

Ander Herrera and Wayne Rooney also went close, while Willian might have conceded a penalty for handball, but Chelsea had chances of their own, David de Gea thwarting John Terry, Pedro Rodriguez and Cesar Azpilicueta, and Nemanja Matic blazing over when clean through.

For all his talk of fighting on, Van Gaal acknowledged that he will be powerless to do anything if United’s owners the Glazer family and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward decide to remove their backing.

“I have said that Manchester United has a lot of confidence in (their) manager and I have not received that in every club,” he said.

“But of course I know that there are circumstances that a board has to decide to sack the manager. I’m looking always from my point of view and that can be not the right view.

“In this crazy football world that can happen every day, also with me. When it happens to Jose Mourinho, then it can happen with me.”

Interim manager Guus Hiddink was satisfied with Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Manchester United on Monday, especially as the Premier League champions played without a recognised striker.

Diego Costa was suspended after being booked in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Watford while fellow attackers Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao were sidelined by injury, forcing winger Eden Hazard to occupy the unfamiliar position of centre forward.

“Tactically it was okay, defensively we were well organised,” Hiddink told reporters at Old Trafford.

“We didn’t have full power to hurt United … we have some problems in the striker position due to suspension and injuries so we had to think how to solve that problem.

“Hazard has done it before and he is capable of doing it because he’s a very versatile player,” added Hiddink who took over from the sacked Jose Mourinho earlier this month.

“I’m pleased because we had some good opportunities in the second half.”

The best of the chances to which Hiddink referred fell to midfielder Nemanja Matic who ran clean through but blazed his effort embarrassingly high over the bar when all he had to do was beat goalkeeper David De Gea in a one-on-one situation.

Chelsea are 14th in the table after winning one match and drawing the other two since Mourinho was dismissed.

“The players have experienced a very bad half-year,” said Hiddink, who has taken over until the end of the season. “They have to lift it up and that’s what we have talked about in the locker room.

“Everyone is convinced we couldn’t go on on the same path and we have shown that in the last three games. It’s normal to see the character and desire of the players but they have shown a lot of ambition in the last three games.

“That’s what we are asking and when everyone is on board hopefully then we can use the quality of the players,” said Hiddink.

“I would have been more worried if there was a lack of confidence or ambition but I don’t see that at the moment in this team.”

Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma issues mock apology to Manchester United forward Anthony Martial

Kurt Zouma has mockingly apologised to Manchester United forward Anthony Martial for preventing him from scoring against Chelsea on Monday night.

Zouma was restored to the Chelsea starting line-up for the Premier League clash at Old Trafford, and put in a superb showing alongside John Terry - impressing throughout the game.

However, one moment in the second half demonstrated just why Zouma has become a key player for Chelsea after the 21-year-old delivered a well-timed tackle that stopped Martial - who was a constant menace for United - from running through on goal.

And, after his impressive work, alongside the rest of his defensive colleagues, helped the Blues walk away from the clash with a point, Zouma took to Instagram to light-heartedly say sorry to Martial for the tackle.

"Very Tough game today, good point.. let's keep it up...Sorry my bro @martial_9 well played," he wrote on the social media site. 

Despite earning a hard-fought draw against Louis van Gaal's United side on Monday, Chelsea remain just three points above the relegation zone in 14th place.

The champions now travel to face London rivals Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon, with Alan Pardew's side coming into the game having drawn 0-0 with Swansea City at the weekend.

Wayne Rooney pays tribute to "incredible" Anthony Martial

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has lavished praise on teenage forward Anthony Martial for the way that the teenager has adapted to life at Old Trafford. 

The 19-year-old joined Man United from AS Monaco on transfer deadline day in a deal that could eventually rise to just under £60m. 

The signing of the striker was questioned in various quarters, but he has scored five times in 10 appearances for the Premier League club this season. 

Rooney, who also moved to Old Trafford as a teenager, has said that the French international "deserves a lot of credit" for his seamless transition to English football. 

"I think he has been incredible, how he has come over to Manchester and started the way he has," Rooney told United Review. "Let's not forget he is still a very young lad as well. To come over with his young family and start the way he has, he deserves a lot of credit. 

"You can see what a good player he is and he'll be an important player for us from now until the end of the season. He is probably the quickest player in our team, if not the quickest in the league." 

Martial has largely been deployed in a wide left position for Man United this season.

CSKA Moscow 1-1 Manchester United: Anthony Martial header rescues Red Devils

Anthony Martial scored a delightful diving header to rescue Manchester United from a damaging defeat at CSKA Moscow.

United initially froze on a sub-zero night in the Russian capital, gifting CSKA Moscow a penalty when Martial handled in the box.

Seydou Doumbia converted the follow up after David de Gea had tipped Roman Eremenko's spot-kick on to the post, but Martial ensured the match ended in a 1-1 draw with a second-half header.

In the first half United performed poorly on the return to the city where they lifted the Champions League in 2008.

De Gea saved brilliantly to deny Ahmed Musa in the Khimki Arena after Doumbia had put the hosts ahead.

But Louis van Gaal's men improved after the break and they just about deserved to take home the point that ensures they remain second in Group B.

The CSKA fans did their best to raise the temperature inside the ground before kick-off.

They held a huge surfer flag aloft, hailing CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky as 'The Exorcist' in charge of expelling the Red Devils from their stadium.

CSKA put maximum pressure on United from the off, pressing high up the pitch to deny the visitors any space.

Jesse Lingard, making his Champions League debut, showed signs of promise but could not prise open a rigid CSKA defence.

At the other end of the pitch former United midfielder Zoran Tosic fired an early shot wide and Mario Fernandes caused Matteo Darmian problems with his pace down the flank.

And with 15 minutes gone, the right-back won a penalty for CSKA.

Fernandes lifted the ball over Martial and drew a fine save from De Gea. United thought the danger had passed but referee Carlos Velasco Carballo spotted the France striker had handled the ball and pointed to the spot.

De Gea tipped Eremenko's penalty on to the post but the ball bounced into Doumbia's path off the goalkeeper's legs and he tucked the ball away.

United would have been 2-0 down soon after had De Gea not tipped over Musa's chip.

Rooney drew the first save of the match from Igor Akinfeev in the 32nd minute but the CSKA goalkeeper had nothing else to do before the half-time whistle.

Van Gaal brought Marouane Fellaini on for Bastian Schweinsteiger at the break. Little changed initially but United then started to improve.

Rooney then glanced the ball into Akinfeev's arms from Ander Herrera's cross.

The away fans held their breath as Musa entered the box after a CSKA break but he drilled into De Gea's arms and United went on the attack again.

Finally the pressure paid off. Herrera sent Antonio Valencia down the right flank and he whipped in a low ball for Martial, who beat Akinfeev with a diving header.

United pushed for a winner as CSKA tired. Rooney appealed for a penalty in the dying minutes when the ball appeared to touch the arm of a red shirt.

Memphis Depay came on for Lingard, but did not make a telling impact and United had to make do with a point from their trek east.

Jürgen Klopp to honour Steven Gerrard training agreement

Liverpool boss has spoken to LA Galaxy midfielder about a return to former club

Jürgen Klopp has spoken to LA Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard about returning to his former club, according to reports. Photograh: Getty

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has spoken to former captain Steven Gerrard about the prospect of him returning to the club, but only in regards to training.

The 35-year-old midfielder is currently in the Major League Soccer off-season after his summer move to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

According to reports Klopp is happy to honour the offer of being able to train at the club’s Melwood base made to Gerrard by former boss Brendan Rodgers when the 35-year-old left in May.

However, there has been no offer of a potential return to a playing role and, with Gerrard set to resume pre-season training in mid-January, there is no chance of a short-term loan, as the likes of David Beckham and Thierry Henry exploited during their time in the United States.

The prospect of Liverpool buying back their former talisman, who has one year remaining on his Galaxy contract, seem equally remote.

Gerrard himself has admitted he probably only has one year left of his playing career.

“It could be my last season as a footballer. I certainly don’t want to feel like I’m feeling right now come next year,” he told reporters in America last week.

“I’d love to go out on a high. It’s a long season, and I only came here for the last four months but I’ll certainly be better for the experience next year.”

There does remain a chance, however, he could end up back at Liverpool on the backroom staff in some capacity in the future.

The offer of a contract extension at Anfield was put to Gerrard just under a year ago, but he felt it had come too late and had already started making plans for his next challenge.

However, he subsequently admitted he would have stayed had he been offered a player-coach role to allow him to further his football education.

“What would have kept me at Liverpool into this season was the chance of shadowing Brendan Rodgers and his staff as well as playing — those ideas were only mentioned to me after I had announced I was leaving,” he said in September.

“I could have been a good squad player, a good sub, as well as getting management experience that money can’t buy.”

Klopp and the rest of his squad are due to arrive in Russia late on Wednesday ahead of their Europa League tie against Rubin Kazan.

The travelling party is expected to include most of those who were involved in the 3-1 victory at Chelsea on Saturday — a significant departure from their last European away game, when Rodgers left behind six senior players for the trip to Bordeaux.

Louis van Gaal defends Anthony Martial decision after fans boo at Old Trafford

Louis van Gaal stood by his controversial decision to substitute Anthony Martial for Marouane Fellaini in Manchester United's narrow victory over CSKA Moscow.

United moved to the top of their Champions League group on Tuesday after they beat their Russian opponents 1-0 thanks to Wayne Rooney's 237th goal for the club.

The victory means United will qualify for the knockout stages of the competition if they beat PSV at home in three weeks' time.

Yet despite the victory, and the end to a 404-minute long goal drought, some United supporters were far from happy during parts of the game.

Loud boos rang out around Old Trafford when Van Gaal replaced Martial with Fellaini in the 66th minute and the home support then yelled "We're Man Utd, we want to attack".

Had it not been for Rooney's 79th-minute header, more boos would have followed after the final whistle, but Van Gaal was in no mood to back down after the match.

Asked if he had heard the crowd's reaction, the Dutchman said: ''Of course, I am not deaf.

''That is the opinion of the fans. Afterwards they shall not be disappointed by the decision of the manager.

''I'm very happy because I put him again in the striker's position and he scored.''

Rooney's goal moved him level with the club's second-highest scorer of all time, Denis Law.

"Law is a legend at this club so I am delighted to equal his record," said Rooney, who is now 12 short of Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time record. "We are top of the group now, so it's a big three points."

Michael Carrick: What I really think about Man United youngster Anthony Martial

MICHAEL CARRICK has hailed Anthony Martial's start to life at Manchester United as 'incredible'.

The France international signed for United under a huge weight of expectation following his £36million move to Old Trafford.

The former Monaco striker was relatively unknown, and had only scored 11 Ligue 1 goals before he got the big-money move to the Premier League.

Anthony Martial has scored five times since signing for Manchester United

And Carrick admits his ability to hit the ground running has been 'incredible', netting five times for the Red Devils in all competitions.

"It is a big step to come to this club and play. For a young lad to come over and start like he has is incredible really," he said.

Martial collected the Fans' Player of the Month award in October

The 19-year-old has largely been relying on fellow France international Morgan Schneiderlin to help him bed-in at the club.

Martial speaks very little English and is using Schneiderlin as his 'eyes and ears', the Daily Star revealed.

A source said: "He struggles but he wants to do something about it. The lad is lucky to have someone like Morgan around – he really is his eyes and ears."

And Carrick has stressed the importance of not piling too much pressure on the young striker's shoulders.

"We have to be careful not to expect too much because he is going to have ups and downs, but the signs are very positive," he added.