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United, Van Gaal in suspense as Chelsea looms
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MANCHESTER United’s under-performing players approach today’s home game with Chelsea not knowing whether besieged manager Louis van Gaal will still be in the dug-out when they take to the field.
United’s 0-2 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday was its fourth loss in succession — the club’s worst run within a season since 1961 — and reduced Van Gaal to a dead man walking in the eyes of the British media.
The Dutchman admitted afterwards that he could not be certain of the United board’s support and raised the prospect that he could choose to leave Old Trafford of his own accord.
“I have said already in former press conferences that it is not always that the club has to fire or sack me. Sometimes I do it by myself,” he said. “I am the one who wants to speak first with the board of Manchester United, with my members of staff, with my players and not always you (the media).”
Chelsea dispensed with its own manager last week, Jose Mourinho paying the price for a calamitous start to the season, and the Portuguese is the favorite to take over at United in the event that Van Gaal departs.
Whatever fate befalls Van Gaal, there is guaranteed to be at least one sexagenarian Dutch coach in attendance at Old Trafford after Guus Hiddink’s appointment as interim manager at Chelsea.
Reprising a role he previously performed in 2009, the 69-year-old began life back at Stamford Bridge with a 2-2 draw at home to Watford that left the champion two points above the relegation zone in 15th place.
Diego Costa scored twice to earn Chelsea a point — book-ending goals from Watford strikers Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo — but will miss today’s game through suspension.
“We will go to Old Trafford. It will be difficult, but I hope this team will show, in every game, the ambition like they showed against Watford,” Hiddink said. “We’re going there for the win.”
Second-placed Arsenal will hope to get its title challenge back on track when it hosts Bournemouth today, less than 48 hours after an embarrassing 0-4 defeat at Southampton.
With leader Leicester City having lost 0-1 at Liverpool, victory would have sent Arsenal top, but it put in a bafflingly below-par display that resulted in its heaviest defeat of the campaign.
Leicester remained top despite its first away defeat of the campaign, but tomorrow faces a taxing home game against third-placed Manchester City, which returned to form on Saturday by crushing Sunderland 4-1.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side will be without captain Vincent Kompany, who aggravated a calf injury against Sunderland, but striker Sergio Aguero is likely to start after being rested.
Tottenham Hotspur moved into the top four on Saturday by beating Norwich City 3-0, Harry Kane scoring twice, and it faces another promoted team today in the form of Watford.
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