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11th Dec 2017

Louis van Gaal sticks the knife in after Jose Mourinho’s Manchester derby misery

"It's far more boring football"

Simon Lloyd

If only Manchester United had stuck it out with Louis van Gaal and his philosophy, eh?

Maybe then, they’d be in with a much better chance of preventing Manchester City’s march to Premier League glory this season? As it is, they’re stuck with this Jose Mourinho bloke, who replaced Van Gaal at the start of last season.

Understandably, given that he was responsible for some of the most exciting sideways passing ever witnessed from a United team, Van Gaal appears to have a bit of an axe to grind with his former employers.

Speaking after they were beaten by City at Old Trafford on Sunday, Van Gaal wasted little time in sticking the knife into United and the man who replaced him as their boss.

“I would rather watch City play than United,” he’s quoted as saying in The Mirror.

“You need quality in a squad and it’s clear City have a better squad,” he added.

“If you ask me how did I do at United, I will say it was my best year ever, given the circumstances I was working under.

“We played football that was quite alright. But it’s not football that is appreciated in England.

“And yet, right now, looking at United, I have to conclude Mourinho is not being criticised while it’s far more boring football.

“What United produce now is defensive football. I always played attacking football. The proof is that the opposition were always parking the bus.

“They don’t do that now because Jose Mourinho plays so defensive.”