Louis van Gaal was left hoping for a stay of execution over Christmas after speculation mounted that the Manchester United manager was set to be sacked before his side’s Boxing Day trip to Stoke City.
Louis van Gaal was left hoping for a stay of execution over Christmas after speculation mounted that the Manchester United manager was set to be sacked before his side’s Boxing Day trip to Stoke City.
van Gaal finds himself in severe danger of being axed halfway through his three-year contract after United’s miserable six-match winless run saw them suffer an embarrassing Champions League exit and slip out of the Premier League’s top four.
In the aftermath of United’s lacklustre 2-1 home defeat against lowly Norwich City on Saturday, it was widely suggested van Gaal had two games to save his job.
Reports claimed a defeat against either Stoke on Saturday or Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday would prompt United’s owners, the Glazer family, to dismiss him.
But on Tuesday it appeared van Gaal might not even last that long after Twitter was deluged with talk that he had been sacked.
Those reports were given credence by news that United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward had travelled to London for a meeting with club officials.
However, the Manchester Evening News later reported that Woodward had only been discussing commercial matters rather than settling van Gaal’s future. Van Gaal speculation disrespectful, says Wenger
Speculation about van Gaal being replaced by Jose Mourinho as Manchester United manager is disrespectful, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said on Wednesday.
United’s home defeat by Norwich City last weekend, after which the Dutchman said he was “worried” about his position, was their third defeat in a row and they are without a win in six matches in all competitions.
Mourinho’s sacking by Chelsea last week has increased speculation that Van Gaal could be replaced by the Portuguese three-times Premier League title winner. “I do not want to get into a world of speculation, I personally have huge respect for Louis van Gaal,” Wenger said on Wednesday.
“What is going on there at the moment is disrespectful. This guy has worked for 30 years in football and delivered an unbelievable quality of work.
“Of course he deserves more time.”Wenger, whose team are second in the Premier League ahead of the busy Christmas programme, two points behind Leicester City, said Pep Guardiola’s decision to announce that he will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season added to the rumours.
Although he would welcome the Spaniard in England, should Guardiola end up in the Premier League.
“He is a top quality manager, not so much for what he has won already because Bayern won before he was there and (his former club) Barcelona are winning now, but because of his positive attitude towards the game and that he wants his teams to play in a positive manner, that I respect,” he said.
“Personally I don’t like that a manager comes out so early on their plans because it’s not good for their own teams and increases speculations about the managers who are going through a difficult patch.” Arsenal are at Southampton on Saturday and host Bournemouth two days later.
