MATCH PREWIEW
>> Louis van Gaal has urged his
Manchester United side to take
their positive reaction to FA Cup
defeat into the "rat race" for the
Barclays Premier League's top
four, starting Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
United's last hope of silverware
this season ended on Monday as
Danny Welbeck returned to haunt
his former employers with the
winning goal in a 2-1 triumph that
sent holders Arsenal into the FA Cup semi-finals.
That was only
United's second defeat in their
past 11 matches in all competitions
and followed back-to-back league
victories over Sunderland and
Newcastle United.
Rather than be downbeat about
United's chances of clinching a
top-four berth, manager Van Gaal
has seen a good reaction in
training.
But the Dutchman is
aware of the need to maintain momentum in the league with just
five points separating third-placed
Arsenal and Southampton in
seventh, with Sunday’s opponents
lying in sixth.
"I have the same confidence [of
reaching the top four] as before,"
he said. "I'm very pleased with the
reaction and I hope we can show
that against Spurs - the first of 10
matches in the rat race.
" United must again make do without
striker Robin van Persie (ankle),
although Marcos Rojo (knock)
should be fit to play. If Rojo is
unavailable it will leave Van Gaal
short at the back as fellow defender Jonny Evans starts the
first game of his six-match ban
for spitting at Newcastle's Papiss
Cisse.
Angel di Maria is also
suspended after being sent off
against Arsenal.
Spurs travel to Manchester
seeking a third-consecutive victory
over United at Old Trafford,
which would move them level on
points with Van Gaal's men.
Before
those successes Spurs had not triumphed at Old Trafford since
1989 and head coach Mauricio
Pochettino insists his team have
the right mentality to return to
London with the points.
"We believe we can win," he said.
"You never think before a game
that it is possible to lose.
"You are always focusing on
getting the three points and are
never thinking about losing. Our
pressure is inside us, in the group.
We want to win every game.
"Maybe Manchester United has
history, but our mentality is to
compete and try to win the game.
Man United is not my problem.
" Pochettino, whose team have won
back-to-back matches since losing
the Capital One Cup final to
Chelsea, has no new injuries to
contend with.
>> Louis van Gaal has urged his
Manchester United side to take
their positive reaction to FA Cup
defeat into the "rat race" for the
Barclays Premier League's top
four, starting Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
United's last hope of silverware
this season ended on Monday as
Danny Welbeck returned to haunt
his former employers with the
winning goal in a 2-1 triumph that
sent holders Arsenal into the FA Cup semi-finals.
That was only
United's second defeat in their
past 11 matches in all competitions
and followed back-to-back league
victories over Sunderland and
Newcastle United.
Rather than be downbeat about
United's chances of clinching a
top-four berth, manager Van Gaal
has seen a good reaction in
training.
But the Dutchman is
aware of the need to maintain momentum in the league with just
five points separating third-placed
Arsenal and Southampton in
seventh, with Sunday’s opponents
lying in sixth.
"I have the same confidence [of
reaching the top four] as before,"
he said. "I'm very pleased with the
reaction and I hope we can show
that against Spurs - the first of 10
matches in the rat race.
" United must again make do without
striker Robin van Persie (ankle),
although Marcos Rojo (knock)
should be fit to play. If Rojo is
unavailable it will leave Van Gaal
short at the back as fellow defender Jonny Evans starts the
first game of his six-match ban
for spitting at Newcastle's Papiss
Cisse.
Angel di Maria is also
suspended after being sent off
against Arsenal.
Spurs travel to Manchester
seeking a third-consecutive victory
over United at Old Trafford,
which would move them level on
points with Van Gaal's men.
Before
those successes Spurs had not triumphed at Old Trafford since
1989 and head coach Mauricio
Pochettino insists his team have
the right mentality to return to
London with the points.
"We believe we can win," he said.
"You never think before a game
that it is possible to lose.
"You are always focusing on
getting the three points and are
never thinking about losing. Our
pressure is inside us, in the group.
We want to win every game.
"Maybe Manchester United has
history, but our mentality is to
compete and try to win the game.
Man United is not my problem.
" Pochettino, whose team have won
back-to-back matches since losing
the Capital One Cup final to
Chelsea, has no new injuries to
contend with.
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