United with only five points from five Premier League games, have still won only once, conceded four goals in the space of 21 second half minutes at Leicester City last Sunday and now face the aerial threat of West Ham with only one fit centre half.
“At this moment it is maybe yes [my toughest job],” Van Gaal said. “But we have to see us in a year and not in a week where we have nine injuries and a [tenth player suspended.] I don’t think you can judge that effect, no. As a manager you know already in advance that it’s a big challenge. This club is in a transition. What you don’t know in advance are what the difficult moments will be. You have to see. When we started we won everything in very difficult circumstances. Now we are again in difficult circumstances and we can win.”
Van Gaal did not conceal his exasperation with a run of injury problems, which have left him with a crisis in central defence ahead of Sam Allardyce’s team arriving at Old Trafford on Saturday. Chris Smalling “ran out of training” on Wednesday with complaints about having “stiff legs”, the Dutchman said. “So we have to see what that means.” Jonny Evans has a badly bruised bone and Van Gaal can only wait for that to heal.
With Tyler Blackett unavailable as a left-sided centre half, because of his red card at Leicester, Van Gaal said he will have to turn to the under-21 squad to reinforce his squad to face West Ham. The Dutchman may call on 19-year-old Paddy McNair.
The glut of defensive injuries flies in the face of the assurances from the club’s training complex received by United chief executive Ed Woodward in pre-season, that the defenders were not likely to break down as they had in previous seasons.
THE GUARDIAN
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