Van Gaal demands more from Manchester United youngsters

The Red Devils beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates on Saturday with the likes of Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair starting and the Dutchman says he was pleased with their displays


Louis van Gaal says Manchester United’s youngsters can still lift their level of performance, despite receiving wide praise for helping the Red Devils to a 2-1 win at Arsenal on Saturday.

An injury crisis reduced United to fielding academy products Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair either side of England international Chris Smalling, while Luke Shaw passed a late fitness test to start at left-back.

And even though Shaw was withdrawn with an ankle problem, Van Gaal’s side kept the Gunners at bay until Olivier Giroud’s fine strike in the dying moments.

Yet the former Netherlands boss believes the club’s youngsters should still strive to improve on that display, telling reporters:  “You can say, when you play with this squad, with players like Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett and also Luke Shaw – 19, 20, 21 [years old] – and Smalling between them, you can after the match it was good.

“But they can do better, I believe.”

The win lifted United into the top four for only the second time this season and Van Gaal felt it was deserved after weathering an early storm at the Emirates Stadium.

He added: “The first 20-25 minutes I was a little disappointed about our confidence on the ball, our composure at the ball.

“That was our biggest problem. That’s why Arsenal could develop this storm. But we have a very good goalkeeper.

“But after 25 minutes I saw that when we keep the ball that’s when we get chances. I said at half-time ‘you need a little bit more confidence, play the ball’ and because we keep the ball better in the second half we created those chances.”

United face Stoke City and Hull City at Old Trafford in their next two Premier League games.

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