Manchester United missed a chance to strengthen their hold on a top 4 place as they lost to Swansea City 2-1, this time around there was no luck for Manchester United as Swansea deserved the 3 points and again showed the fallacies of the team put out by Louis Van Gaal, there already were doubts about the way his team was playing but this time around they were given a bigger blow when Robin Van Persie left the stadium on crutches.
At the start of the season, Louis Van Gaal stated that Manchester United could win the League, they were not playing in Europe and that was supposed to help the club, especially since they had brought in so much talent in Di Maria, Rojo, Blind, Herrera and Falcao but rather than impressing like Liverpool did last year, United have stuttered like a bad engine from a car in the 50’s.
Manchester United are just about holding onto a top 4 place and although they do not have any European commitments to distract them, getting a top place might not be a walk in the park that Van Gall expected.
A tough set of fixtures for a team playing poorly
Manchester United could have been excused had they been playing some great attacking football but it seems that Louis Van Gaal gets riled up way too easily, especially that jibe about Manchester United playing so many long balls that West Ham United could not deal with it, United were lucky to get a point from that game.
United have matches against Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea from their remaining 12 games. Those were just the top teams they play, they even have tough games away to Crystal Palace and Hull city on the last day of the season that last game could be important for Hull City as well since they are in a tough battle to stave off relegation.
Manchester United could be without Robin Van Persie for a bit due to the injury he suffered this game week, while Radamel Falcao does not seem to be the same player he was prior to his ACL injury which he picked up before the World Cup, he still seems to be lacking some fitness and sharpness in front of goal. The entire campaign of United making it into the top 4 at least will not depend on the broad shoulders of Wayne Rooney, not even the so called great Angel Di Maria has been able to pull this United team out of the rut, and with the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool gaining steam over the past few weeks, the top 4 does look like a proposition which United might not make this season also, if that is to happen, would it mean that Louis Van Gaal gets the sack and United rebuild again?
They might or they might not and stay with Van Gaal but that would be sad indictment for not only the current regime which would have failed in achieving a task which was easy, especially when their immediate rivals were playing poorly for most of the season but also for the treatment of David Moyes, who still has a better record than Van Gaal after the same number of games played and way less money spent in the transfer window.