Man Utd General News
Man Utd Team News: van Gaal Confirms Duo Won’t Start vs Newcastle
Louis van Gaal has given a team news update ahead of Man Utd’s clash with Newcastle on Wednesday and confirmed that these two players won’t start the game
Manchester United will be looking to cement their place in the top four when they take on Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Wednesday night.
Ahead of the game, Louis van Gaal has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s given ManUtd.com a team news and injury update.
The Dutch boss confirmed that Robin van Persie remains the clubs only injury problem and the striker is set to once again miss out with an ankle injury.
van Persie missed Saturday’s 2-0 win over Sunderland after suffering the ankle problem during United’s 2-1 defeat to Swansea City last month, and although van Gaal refused to put a time-scale on the strikers return, he definitely won’t be involved tomorrow night.
Michael Carrick is also set to miss out on a place in the starting eleven as van Gaal confirmed the midfielder is still not deemed fit enough to play the full ninety minutes yet.
Carrick returned to the bench at the weekend following a month out with a calf injury and although van Gaal feels he can make a contribution during the later stages of the game, he doesn’t think the 33-year-old is fit enough to start against Newcastle.
Phil Jones, Luke Shaw and Victor Valdes are all back in contention after being left out of the squad against Sunderland at the weekend, but it remains to be seen whether any of the trio will be selected in van Gaal’s starting eleven.
The United boss told the clubs website:
“It is difficult to say as, in every training session, you can be injured or the fatigue specialist can say he is not fit enough to play a game,”
“And then I have to decide not to use that player. So it’s always difficult to say but the only injured player is van Persie.
“It is too quick to say anything about that [a length of absence for the striker].”
“I think it is too early for Michael Carrick,”
“He trained now in three training sessions with us. Because of the three players I didn’t bring with us [against Sunderland], he was in the 18 and I took a risk with that. As a substitute, you can play 20 minutes, which he can do. He has the experience so I can make an exception. He is also a captain, so I can make an exception but it is not often I do that.”
With van Persie still out, Radamel Falcao is expected to continue alongside Wayne Rooney up front while Daley Blind will once again deputise for Carrick in the center of midfield.
United head into the game sitting fourth in the Premier League but they are just one point off third-placed Arsenal so van Gaal will be looking to capatalise on any slip-up from the Gunners to leapfrog them in the table.
