Dutch boss says everyone is out to see his United side lose.
Louis van Gaal has claimed that ‘everything is against’ his Manchester United side as they get set to face League Two’s Cambridge United in an FA Cup fifth round replay on Tuesday night.
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The United boss even said the media would be against his team as they look to defeat the side they drew 0-0 with at the Abbey Stadium in January.
“Everything is against you at Manchester United and everything is in favour of the underdog. Also from you [media] but you shall not do it consciously but unconsciously – it’s human – I forgive you,” said van Gaal, reports Guardian.
“In spite of all the criticism we have had from you and your [media] colleagues, we are still in the FA Cup and a lot of teams are not, so I’m still happy that we can play this match.
“But you have to win because they are coming also with two rows of four and a goalkeeper and dropping in a striker, and you have to make the first goal because that is the most important goal, so it’s not such an easy game,” he said.
United come into the tie hot off a 3-1 victory of Leicester City at Old Trafford this weekend that some have said is revenge for the Foxes surprising 5-3 win over the Red Devils earlier in the season.
And van Gaal wants the same mentality to be used against Cambridge and believes his side should use this as motivation to reach the next round.
“It was also [against Leicester] everyone wants revenge. Rooney said before the start of the match: ‘Do you remember how we lost that?'” van Gaal said.
“That’s good and it is also the same feeling with Cambridge but I don’t think it’s a great motivation, the motivation is the FA Cup.”
The coach has said the only warning United need over the threat Cambridge possess is the fact the Club has not won the cup for 11 years.
Yet, following their draw with the League Two side last month, the United boss said the pitch, the referee and even Cambridge’s playing style had contributed to result, but he has since sought to clarify his comments.
“It is a big advantage, that is true – [but] it was not my purpose to say [exactly] that,” Van Gaal added. “It was that everything is against us in general.”
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