Van Gaal under fire over tactics

MANCHESTER United go into tomorrow’s games at Crystal Palace on the back of a stinging attack at their style of play from former Reds midfield superstar, Paul Scholes.

Scholes slammed boss Louis van Gaal's tactics at Old Trafford by suggesting he would have disliked playing under his “risk–free” regime.

United crashed out of the Capital One Cup on penalties to Middlesbrough after failing to score against the Championship side in 120 minutes, despite turning to Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial off the subtitutes’ bench.

It was the second home game in which United had failed to find the net, after their stalemate with neighbours Manchester City. Statistics show Van Gaal's side has had fewer shots at goal this term than Norwich, Watford and Aston Villa.

And Scholes, who won a plethora of trophies across three decades with United, believes the buck stops with the manager.

"There's a lack of creativity and risk," he said. “It seems Van Gaal doesn't want players to beat men and it's probably not a team I'd have enjoyed playing in."

Much of the flak for United's shortcomings has been directed at captain Rooney, who saw his penalty saved in the shoot–out against Boro.

But Scholes believes the system is to blame, not the man: "I was at the derby and Rooney's movement was brilliant, but when he's playing in that team there's no one prepared to pass to him. After 20 minutes you'd be tearing your hair out.

"I played with some brilliant centre forwards and I don't think they could play in this team – the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham.”



MANCHESTER City will be without star striker Sergio Aguero once again for tomorrow’s home game against Norwich.

But with Wilfried Bony and youngster Kelechi Iheanacho both playing well and scoring in the midweek 5-1 Capital One Cup thrashing of Palace, City boss Manuel Pellegrini will feel he has enough forward options, particularly given the recent contributions made by Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.