Van Gaal won’t rush back injured players
Print Edition
MANCHESTER United is expecting a host of injured players to make their returns this month but will not rush them back into the first team, manager Louis van Gaal said ahead of today’s last-16 Europa League tie against bitter rival Liverpool.
Despite having nine players currently out, including captain Wayne Rooney and defender Phil Jones, United won four games in a row prior to its shock Premier League defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
“(Antonio) Valencia is coming back, Basti (Bastian Schweinsteiger) is coming back, a lot of players shall come back in March,” Van Gaal told reporters yesterday.
“... it is hard to see whether they can cope with the rhythm of the match... Basti, for example, has only one training session under his belt.
“Valencia is much more closer to being on the bench, but not to play a match.”
Winning Europe’s second-tier club tournament appears to be both clubs’ best chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season and Van Gaal, who has completed back-to-back league doubles over Liverpool, has labelled the tie a must-win. “You have to win — there is no difference (with it being a Cup competition). United and Liverpool is always a big game. It’s historical and even bigger now because both teams are fighting for a Champions League place.”
Defender Chris Smalling is banking on emotions to spur United to victory. “It’s a game we all look forward to and one in which we need to stand up and be counted. When you step over that white line, emotion drives you on and hopefully brings out a performance in you,” he said.
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