Van Gaal: We Must Beat Stoke

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has described the Reds' Boxing Day clash with Stoke as a must-win game.

United are without a victory in four Barclays Premier League matches and face another tough test at the Britannia Stadium against Mark Hughes's men, who will be looking to close the gap between the sides to three points.

In an exclusive interview with MUTV ahead of the game to be screened in full on Christmas Eve, van Gaal insisted his side are fully focused on bouncing back from recent results, but knows it won't be easy.

"Yes, I think so [it's a must-win game] because, when you have lost three times in a row, then you need a victory," he said. "We have focused ourselves to do that but it is not easy. Stoke City have won against Manchester City, for example, and it’s a special ground. It is not easy with a lot of circumstances that are not suitable always to playing good football.

"The key is always communication and talking with each other for the evaluation of the match, how we have prepared and so on and so on. We have to focus on that match and we have to win that match. We have analysed Stoke and seen the ball is flying in the wind. You have to cope with every circumstance and that is why we are preparing ourselves for that game so we can show the players what it is like.

"I have said already in one of my press conferences that players like Bojan and Xherdan Shaqiri are very good attacking players and have played for fantastic clubs like Barcelona and also Bayern Munich. You cannot say that these clubs cannot buy players from that level."

Despite recent setbacks, the Reds still boast the league's tightest backline, having conceded just 14 goals this season. Van Gaal is keen to see his players return to the defensive form they showed at the start of the campaign, starting against the Potters. "I cannot say too loudly that we have to improve our defensive organisation," he added. "It is true it is always better that we keep a clean sheet, but we have to attack also and finish our chances - that is important. There are a lot of aspects we have to improve.


"One month ago, we were first in the Premier League. Everything has changed but it’s also possible to be, next month again, in the fighting position for a title. But we have to win first against Stoke City, that is the main focus."