We could have an hours long debate discussing what went wrong for the few top notch English premier league sides who failed in the current season and one of them is, of course, Manchester United who, despite spending money like nothing in signing players, manager, could not make any impression in the English topflight. Although, they are at number five on the board and hoping to have at least a Champions League qualification by the end, but if we look at their gameplay in last few games, they seemed to be more attacking against high profile sides rather bottom third clubs which is strange to many since most of the sides often deliver brilliantly when they are up to low profile sides, but Van Gaal is behaving different in this sense. The 64-year-old Dutchman blames it to the opponents ‘parking the bus’ approach where they try not to lose the game rather attempting to win it hence United is not having a good record against small sides. However, talking about the showdown against top notch sides, Van gaal applauded his side performance during games with teams like Manchester City and Arsenal.

Explicitly talking about the issue and what is going wrong for the Red Devils that they are playing good only against big sides, former Real Madrid boss said, “I think that that is a very intelligent question because I have said a lot of times that we need more creative players, more fast players and more quick-thinking players, because the lower teams are mostly parking the bus, as the Englishmen say. That makes things more difficult, as the top teams want to play against us, which means that we can play, which makes a big difference.”

Adding about their chances to finish among top four and if upcoming Sunday’s faceoff with Tottenham can make them a confident qualifier for next UEFA tourney, he said, “We still have to close a gap of one point, so we must win. It is very difficult because the pressure is also for Tottenham Hotspur now because they have to close the gap on Leicester City. He has made a team of this squad, a team that presses high with a good positional game and they score a lot of goals.

“They also have a lot of clean sheets though, which show they are a well-organised and structured team. I think you can give credit to Mauricio Pochettino.”

Even though Arsenal performed tremendously well in the last FA Cup fifth round game against Hull City, they eventually lost their key players for respective injuries which is a major blow for the Emirate side. Gunners convincingly defeated Steve Bruce side by a big 4-0 margin in their den and raised an alarming bell to other English clubs for rest of the English season. Although, they are now in the quarterfinal of the FA Cup, but absence of players like Aaron Ramsey, Per Mertesacker, and Gabriel Paulista would definitely make them vulnerable not in the FA but premiere league games. Taking it as a biggest blow, manager Arsene Wenger expressed his deep concerns over available options at the center back and if it would suffice considering the importance of remaining games. Their next big showdown is against in-form Barcelona in return leg of their Champions League last-16 tie and Wegner just hopes to get back Mertesacker and Gabriel by then.

Talking about the setbacks his side had to come across in victory that could possibly be lethal for them, 66-year-old Frenchman said, “I’m a bit under shock there because we lost our two centre-backs in the game and after we lost Aaron Ramsey. Mertesacker is just a cut on his eye and looks to be very short. Gabriel is a hamstring and Ramsey is a thigh problem. To me, the most serious looks to be Ramsey. He has a thigh problem, I think it is a thigh strain.”

Adding about the silence in the celebration that followed after their entry into the knockout stage of the FA Cup and why it cost them more than what it gained, Frenchman explained, “The only disappointing thing when you look back at this game is the injuries we’ve picked up. Look, do you know someone who has won it more than me? No, so that gives you the answer. ‘We judge the season after the season and I’m quite amazed so many people judge it so early, you know.

“Assess the season after the season and we’ll give everything. We have not given up anywhere and you will see that in the coming weeks. I believe that this club has been in a much worse position than it is today.”

As far Premier league is concerned, they are a big eight-point trailing to leader Leicester City with six games in hand so they need to win at least five of the six games to take the crown they have been waiting for last ten years and with latest injuries Wenger job is getting more difficult per say.