Van Gaal Pondering Left-back Options

Louis van Gaal has admitted he is still unsure who will be Luke Shaw's full-time replacement on the left side of the Manchester United defence.

Shaw is sidelined with a broken leg since being injured at PSV Eindhoven last month and Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo and Ashley Young have already been tried in the position. Rojo's hamstring problem has further complicated the issue.

England international Shaw was also injured in the Barclays Premier League win at Arsenal last season and van Gaal must decide on who will be his left-back for another difficult assignment in North London on Sunday.

"We lost Luke Shaw and that is a big blow," said the manager. "I have said already in the first press conferences that this season shall be the season of Luke Shaw and he was the only position that we didn’t have double-occupied, so the circumstances are not so good.

"I have to look for solutions. You have seen that – I have tried it with Young, Darmian, Rojo and Blind – four players have played in that position after Shaw and we have won everything. But, in my opinion, we don’t have a good substitute for Luke with the [same] qualities, so it is a big blow."

Nonetheless, the Reds approach the Emirates Stadium encounter in great heart and on the back of an important win over Wolfsburg in front of an appreciative Old Trafford crowd on Wednesday.

"Everybody sees the progression and what we have developed already," added the boss. "Apart from the second half [in midweek], when we played very bad, the fans enjoyed the match with a lot of attention also and that is good. There was an emotional relationship between the fans and the match on Wednesday and that is what you have to create.

"You cannot always be the best and win but, at the end, I want to be champions. The players want that and the board want that. But it is not so easy – there can only be one champion."