Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has come under fire after failing to qualify for the Champions League but insists he is still the right man at Old Trafford.

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Andy Gray and Richard Keys, who front beIN Sports’ Premier League coverage, discuss the Dutchman’s work and what the future holds—as well as Saturday’s fixture with AFC Bournemouth.

 

Andy Gray: If this was David Moyes he would have gone by now. Van Gaal’s reputation has bought him time that Moyes didn’t get. This guy has taken Manchester United into one of the easiest groups in the Champions League this year and failed. If you are a United fan this is just not good enough.

It’s not as if they got ditched out of Europe by PSG, Barcelona, or Bayern Munich which you could understand but being put out by Wolfsburg – come on!

To be honest, I don’t see any great desire from Manchester United to part company with Van Gaal which will upset a lot of fans and players.

I was always told by the great Jock Stein that if you have a happy player you have a good player but if you make your players unhappy, no matter how good they are you can’t get the best out of them.

We are seeing a lot of unhappy players at United right now but, for whatever reason, Van Gaal appears to have the backing of the hierarchy at Old Trafford. Let’s face it, he is not as good as Sir Alex Ferguson was and that, like it or not, remains the benchmark.

The way he has got them playing is contrary to everything Fergie stood for. You can see the players aren’t enjoying it. United players have always been allowed to express themselves, but now it’s win the ball, keep it, go back, go sideways, back to the keeper, take your time – there’s no joy about the way they play.

I think Van Gaal actually believes that he has taken them on this season, that they are playing better football and he can look at the league and say: ‘I am three points off the top of the table, we have only lost two games all season, not been beaten at home, we are level with Manchester City, a point behind Arsenal, so, of course, I am doing the right thing.’

It might not be pleasing on the eye, which of course it isn’t, but he can stand there in a boardroom and ask them to look at last season’s table after 15 game and then look at this season’s table. He has a point. That’s why, unless there is a huge collapse in the next couple of months, he will stay there until the end of the season.

So, who would replace him if he is not around next season? They might want to give it to a United old boy who knows the way that club should be playing its football, but I think it’s still too early for Ryan Giggs and we don’t know how good Gary Neville is going to be at Valencia.

Carlo Ancelotti would be an amazingly good fit for United. Everyone thinks it is nailed on that Pep Guardiola is going to neighbours City but what a coup it would be if United could gazump them. However, if they finish top four, don’t be surprised if Van Gaal is still there at the beginning of next season.

He has another test on Saturday at Bournemouth who have been playing pretty well and will have to be respected. But United have to respond to the criticism that is following them around at the moment which is why I think they will win this. 0-1.

Richard Keys: If Van Gaal was the man of integrity and honour that he has told us many times he is, he would have walked this week.

To fail to come out of a Champions League group which was a gimme was a catastrophic failure. In my opinion, he is presiding over a shambles.

I am being told that United’s players are bored with the routine, the regime and the style of football. The one thing you always associated with Unite was a devil may care, ‘we will never get beaten’ attitude going all the way back to 1968.

Love them or hate them the one thing they have always given us is entertainment. Old Trafford was truly the Theatre of Dreams – not any more. This fella is presiding over terminal decline and somebody needs to address it.

He left Bayern Munich in a mess and I think he is taking Manchester United down the same path. He is out of time and out of excuses.

Maybe he will survive to the end of the season but then he must surely go. As for his replacement, I still believe Guardiola will go to City because they are creating history right now. They could give it to Giggs, or Neville but for me Ronald Koeman would be an outstanding candidate. Or what about Jose?

I can’t see it getting any better for United. Bournemouth were terrific last week at Chelsea. Maybe their goal was offside but they were played well and they won’t be intimidated by United. 2-1.