Van Gaal Reacts To Win Over Villa

Louis van Gaal spoke exclusively to MUTV after Manchester United's narrow 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Old Trafford...

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"It was not our best performance, of course, you have seen it for yourself. I think we played too slowly and it was also difficult as they were playing very defensively and very compact. So then you need quicker play, quicker ball-speed and so on. In the first half we created enough chances to finish with two goals and then the motivation also with the players of Villa shall be less and the game is more easy. It is not like that though - we didn't finish and, at the end, could have drawn which is not good."

Rashford's smart finish
"It was also good movement, I have to say, as he runs for the first ball and then cut off because there was no space for that. Antonio Valencia was very good to see that and he [Rashford] scored a very good and important goal."

Rooney performance
"That pass [in the build-up to the goal] was fantastic. He did a lot of switches. I think he played a very good first half but, in the second half, you could see he was tired. He was losing the ball [several times] in a row but that's also logical when you're not playing for two months and not training for two months. It is difficult to adapt to the rhythm of the Premier League."

Villa came close to equalising late on
"We could also have scored with Memphis when there was the save by the goalkeeper and the post. We have to finish [the game] much earlier. We could have done that and then the motivation of Villa is less than ever. You can finish the game but, now, still the motivation was there and Villa could have scored also."