Van Gaal: Lots Of Work To Do

Louis van Gaal has warned Manchester United they still have a lot of work to do before they secure Champions League qualification.

Their 3-1 victory over Leicester at Old Trafford on Saturday took them to within five points of second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League.

But United's form in January has been mixed - they have only won three matches in all competitions, losing at home to Southampton, drawing at Stoke and then 0-0 at Cambridge United in the FA Cup.

After the win over Leicester, van Gaal reminded his players that the season has a long way to go.

When asked if he could sense Champions League qualification was getting closer for his men, he replied: "No, because (only) at the end of the league matches we divide the titles and not at this moment."

United have a winnable set of fixtures coming up against West Ham, Burnley, Swansea, Sunderland and Newcastle.

However, van Gaal is aware he still has to travel to Liverpool and Chelsea in the last third of the season and he believes the fight for a top-four finish will go right down to the wire.

"It shall be a big battle to the end," Van Gaal told MUTV.

"That is a big battle. West Ham has lost (to Liverpool on Saturday).

"One competitor shall lose."

Robin van Persie put United ahead against Leicester with a sublime finish and Radamel Falcao added his fourth for the club before Wes Morgan's own goal helped United avenge their embarrassing 5-3 reverse at the King Power Stadium last September.

Van Persie candidly admitted on Monday that he had under-performed this season but he looked like his old self on Saturday and his goal was out of the top drawer.

Although replays showed he was marginally offside, van Persie watched Daley Blind's pass float over his left shoulder before he stabbed the ball past Mark Schwarzer first time with his right boot.

Van Gaal felt for his opposite number Nigel Pearson, and admitted such offside errors will only be stopped if more technology is introduced into the game.

"I think also it was offside but it always happens in games that the referee or a linesman are not in a good shape at that moment but you cannot avoid that," Van Gaal said.

"You need modern techniques always and when you don't use them in this modern time it shall happen every game."