Watford's consistent form one of surprises of season
If Watford beats champion Chelsea on Saturday and other results go in its favor, the Hornets, who were promoted in May, could be in fourth place in the Premier League. For the record, they are words I never thought I would write. Leicester City, which ...
Clock ticking on van Gaal's time with Man United
Make no mistake, the Manchester United faithful have lost hope and patience with Louis van Gaal. Once a manager has no credibility with the vast majority of supporters it is a near impossible task to turn things around. The 3-2 defeat by Wolfsburg, which saw a ...
Leicester, Man Utd are improbable top-of-table foes
Top of the league in Spain: Barcelona. In Germany: Bayern Munich. In France: PSG. In England: Leicester City. An unlikely foursome. On Saturday, Leicester plays Manchester United in the most remarkable top-of-the-table clash in Premier League history. This time last season after 13 matches Leicester ...
Mourinho's antics damaging once-revered reputation
The self-styled Special One goes head-to-head with the Sensible One on Saturday. Jose Mourinho and JürgenKlopp, Chelsea vs. Liverpool, yet the build-up to the first meeting in English football between the Portuguese and the German has been dominated by Mourinho's continued (and showing no signs ...
More on the line than points in Manchester derby
As much as both managers try to say there are still only three points available when Manchester United hosts Manchester City on Sunday, Wayne Rooney called it right when he said it is "a massive game of pride." It is third vs. first in the ...
Manchester United-Liverpool rivalry always fierce, bitter clash
This is a game Louis van Gaal dare not lose. English football's clasico between Manchester United and Liverpool today is, like Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, not a derby, but it represents the fiercest and most hostile rivalry in English football. The jury has returned on ...
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal on Friday played down the club's interest in signing Pedro from Barcelona after the Spanish international decided to join Premier League champion Chelsea instead. He also defended executive vice chairman Ed Woodward, who was widely reported to have flown ...
Van Gaal gets defensive with Man United struggling
"Am I so brilliant or are you so thick?" It is one of the most famous quotes from Louis van Gaal during a news conference in his native Holland. When the man with an ego the size of Old Trafford sees his tactics questioned he ...
Manchester United's high-priced squad fails to inspire
It is only Louis van Gaal's cv that is preventing him from receiving the sort of merciless criticism directed at David Moyes last season. After 21 games, Moyes' Manchester United had 37 points, the same as van Gaal's side which cost £270 million, £150 million ...
Manchester United improving, but van Gaal still faced with many issues
A football club is like a family. You can criticize your family, but if an outsider speaks badly of your nearest and dearest you become very defensive. Last Monday, Louis van Gaal had little positive to say about Manchester United after a dreadful display had somehow ...
Welbeck move benefited both Arsenal, Man United
It is almost three months since Manchester United sold Danny Welbeck to Arsenal for £16 million because Louis van Gaal did not think the striker was good enough to play for the Reds. "He doesn't have the record of (Robin) van Persie or (Wayne) Rooney ...
Welbeck sale makes perfect sense for United
Gary Neville was baffled. So was Bryan Robson. Football writers inevitably questioned Manchester United's decision to sell Danny Welbeck to Arsenal for £16 million after he scored both goals in England's 2-0 win over Switzerland in Basel. Two things persuaded Louis van Gaal to allow ...
