The ESPN FC crew break down Manchester United’s last-gasp victory over Newcastle and admit sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good in the Premier League.
Former Manchester United player Paul Scholes has accused club manager Louis van Gaal of not setting his sights high enough and suggested the Dutchman looked “too happy to be fourth” in the Premier League after his side’s 1-0 win at Newcastle.
United needed a late goal from Ashley Young to snatch three points and remain two points ahead of fifth placed Liverpool, but Scholes was unforgiving as he summed up a performance Van Gaal described as “the best of the season” away from home.
Newcastle United
Manchester United
FT
When asked by BT Sport whether Van Gaal was setting his ambitions at the right levels for a club of United’s stature, Scholes responded: “No. He looks really happy to me to be fourth.
“This is a club that needs to be challenging to win the league. He has spent 150 million pounds and while I can probably forgive him this season for a year as he has said he needs to settle in.
“This time next year, if they are not challenging for the league, then I think there is something wrong. Not finishing fourth is not good enough, but not challenging for the league is not good enough for me.
“Remember last year they spent 70 million quid as well under David Moyes. That’s 220 million they have spent and they look a worse team than they were [in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge].”
Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen was equally savage in his assessment of Van Gaal’s first campaign at the club, as he suggested a fourth place finish is “absolute minimum” for the Dutch tactician this season.
“They spent 150 million pounds last summer and everyone is saying fourth will be a success,” said Owen. “They were third favourites for the league at the start of the season, everyone was talking them up.
“They are playing poorly, they are hanging on to fourth place. If they finish fourth, then nothing should be said, but to say success is fourth, I’m not having it for one minute.
“Fourth is minimum, absolute minimum. This is Manchester United, they won the Premier League a couple of years ago.”