Louis van Gaal has three games left to save his job and Manchester United.
When Louis van Gaal was appointed the manager for Manchester United, many thought it couldn’t have gotten any worse than David Moyes. But two seasons later, at least Moyes guided them to the knockout stages of the Champions League. It’s been a disastrous season for the Red Devils, and it’s gotten worse by the game.
After a 2-1 loss at the hands of Danish club Midtjylland, the Manchester Evening News is reporting that the Dutchman has been given three games to save his job. Those next three games will include an FA Cup, the second leg of the Midtjylland clash, and Arsenal in the EPL. If there’s a saving grace to this season, it’s that Man U can still win two trophies, but that prospect could vanish in the span of two games. That’s why Van Gaal has been given this timetable.
To be honest, it’s a miracle that he’s even lasted this long. His style of play is awful to watch, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that he’s losing the dressing room. There’s already a site called “Has Van Gaal Been Sacked Yet?” and against Midtjylland, the away fans – bless them – got creative in expressing their frustration:
#mufc fans in Midtjylland chanting: 'Freezing cold on a Thursday night, and we're playing f*****g s***e, what a feeling, what a night'.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) February 18, 2016
It could be that they’re waiting on an agreement from Jose Mourinho, who they’ve been linked to ever since December. After all, their closest rivals have just confirmed the appointment of Pep Guardiola for next season. But if Van Gaal can somehow deliver a trophy in a season as tumultuous as this, perhaps he does deserve more credit.