Conflicting reports have appeared in the media over whether Louis Van Gaal offered to resign as Manchester United boss in the wake of the 1-0 home defeat to Southampton on Saturday.
According to the Guardian, Van Gaal, 64, was said to have told executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward he would be prepared after the defeat to Southampton. However, sources have told BBC Sport that no such conversation took place.
The Guardian claimed that Van Gaal returned to the Netherlands on Sunday where he was asked by Woodward to discuss his position with his family. The Dutchman returned to United’s training ground on Tuesday as he begann preparations for Friday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Derby County.
Van Gaal admited for the first time at the weekend that he had let the United supporters down.
He said: “I’m very disappointed I cannot reach the expectations of the fans. They have, or they had, great expectations of me, and I cannot fulfil them, so I am very frustrated.”
“Yes, because we want to be in the top three, and we’re not in the top three, and now, after today, our competitors have won, so it’s a setback,” he said.
Van Gaal and his players were booed during and after Saturday’s home game, in which they had just one shot on target. They have won just two of their last ten league matches, but teh 64-year-old was unable to offer any explanation as to why United were playing so poorly.
“You cannot say it is that aspect or that aspect, because there are different aspects that play a role and we are not very lucky with our injuries,” he said. “But nevertheless, we had to win, and we could have won, but it is not happening.”
United are maintaining their position of refusing to publicly discuss Van Gaal’s future.
