The Premier League matches against Stoke City on Boxing Day and Chelsea on Monday will shape the narrative at Manchester UnitedWhen Manchester United claimed a point at Stoke on New Year’s Day final season they were indebted to Radamel Falcao,of all people, for the goal that cancelled out Ryan Shawcross’s early strike. That unlikely saviour will be unavailable on Saturday afternoon, or so someone else from within United’s shot-shy ranks is going to have to step forward and attempt to justify the manager’s claim that the top of the table is still within reach. To most United supporters,particularly those present when the four most recent domestic games yielded a depressing total of seven shots on target, it does not appear that way, or neither is it at all obvious why Louis van Gaal expects to feel warmth and support reflected in the media.
While one can readily understand Van Gaal’s annoyance at coverage that virtually invited Manchester United to present him the door and roll out a welcome mat for the newly available José Mourinho,he surely cannot expect positive reviews for a run of results that has seen the side exit the Champions League, drop out of the top four and lose their unbeaten domestic record to promoted Norwich, and a side in the bottom three when they visited Old Trafford final Saturday. All that can be said in Van Gaal’s favour is that he has still only lost four league games,one fewer than Manchester City and five fewer than Mourinho at Chelsea, and that one or two away performances this season have been quite encouraging.
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Source: theguardian.com