Van Gaal's View From The Top

Louis van Gaal spoke to MUTV shortly after his Manchester United team reached the summit of the Barclays Premier League for the first time during his reign with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sunderland. Here's what the boss had to say...

TOP OF THE LEAGUE
"Last season at this stage I think we were in 13th position in the league table, so I’m a happy coach."

SCORED GOALS AT GOOD TIMES
"Yes, but I have to say also the opponents wasted a lot of time and the referee was not reacting to that so it was also their own punishment."

MEMPHIS AND ROONEY'S FIRST LEAGUE GOALS OF 2015/16
"I am pleased for them but for me it does not make any difference because for me we have to make goals as a team. Who makes them is not so important. You have to beat your opponents and when you make one more goal than the opponents, you are the winner. That is the game."

MARTIAL DIDN'T SCORE - BUT SET UP ROONEY
"I am very pleased with the performance of Anthony because he is not only a goalscorer, he is also an attacking point and he also prepares goals. So for us he is more important than I thought before he came."

SCORELINE REFLECTED DOMINANCE
"Yes, I think so. I was also very happy for the fans. In the second half we controlled the game more than we attacked. And I hope that the fans have understanding for that. But I was very pleased with the third goal because it was a reflection of the game."

THREE GOALS IN THREE CONSECUTIVE GAMES - WHAT'S CHANGED FROM EARLY SEASON?
"It's also a little bit of luck but we are more composed with the ball and we're making better decisions in the third and fourth phase. But you need also luck and also at the right moment that you are composed as a player. Memphis made a fantastic goal but the biggest chance was his second chance and then he was not composed."

TOUGH RUN OF GAMES AHEAD
"Yes, not only for the Champions League but to maintain our top position in the league because we have to play Arsenal away, it's the most difficult game but last year we won there so we have hope."

The manager subsequently held a post-match press conference in which he made these additional comments:

MORE ON MARTIAL
"What I want of a striker is that he is an attacking point, that he is running in behind, preparing goals and running to the first post. These are not all the aspects of a striker, but Anthony Martial has done that today so I am pleased with his performance, but he can still be better and other players can be better.

"This is why I don’t want to say too much about individual performances because, as a manager, there is always something you can improve. When I say what a player can improve then it is in the press and you don’t know what is happening with your remarks and that is our problem as a manager."

WE CAN BEAT ANYONE
"Next week we have Arsenal away and I think it is one of the most difficult teams to beat in the Premier League, but we won also last year there, so it is possible. I think that Manchester United can win against every team, but you need also luck and today the luck was in the last minute of the first half. Of course it is a wonderful goal, but it is in the last minute, it was more or less punishment after Sunderland wasted so much time in the first half."