Embattled Manchester United coach Louis van Gaal may have to clear his desk for the timid play in their recent outing against Stoke City, losing 2-0. The final nail on the coffin could all depend on Man U’s encounter with champions Chelsea, themselves mired in successive loss this season.
The downcast United manager is fighting for his job after another dreadful 2-0 defeat against Stoke and said if he is unable to get a response at Old Trafford, he will jump before he is pushed.
Unless the club take their own unilateral action in the next 24 hours and throw Ryan Giggs in to take temporary charge.
The Red Devils were in trouble on Saturday with a dreadful back header by Memphis Depay which Stoke City’s Bojan Krkic capitalised in the 19th minute and then went on to win the game 2-0.
Stoke added the scalp of United to recent home victories over Chelsea and Manchester City, although results elsewhere meant that they remained in 11th place in the Premier League table.
When grilled about the firestorm of speculation surrounding his likely sacking and the possible appointment of Jose Mourinho, van Gaal intimated that he may be about to walk away from a job that has undergone a dramatic downturn in fortunes in the past month.
While refusing to confirm or deny whether he has received assurances from the United board, he did state: “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.
“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).”
On top of that, the Dutchman — appointed in July 2014 — failed to give a convincing answer when asked whether he would still be in charge for United’s next game against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday.
“You will have to wait and see, but I think so,” he said. “I feel the support of everybody in the club.”
Spanish news outlet Fichajes earlier this month reported that Mourinho has been given the green signal to replace van Gaal.
In another report it stated Mourinho is willing to £16m pay cut to become United manager, adding fire to the speculation.