Louis van Gaal’s team will be expected to perform after a summer of heavy spending…
Manchester United expect manager Louis van Gaal to deliver the Premier League title in his first season in charge, while a return to Champions League football will be deemed merely satisfactory.
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Reports in the Daily Mirror explain that United vice-chairman Ed Woodward issued a demand for a third-place finish in the Dutch manager’s debut campaign to protect the Old Trafford giants’ financial position when he spoke about the latest accounts to investors last week.
However, it is now believed that Van Gaal was in fact issued with a far greater challenge in a private meeting. The source reveals that Woodward made it clear to Van Gaal that a return to the Champions League will not be seen as success if it isn’t alongside the Premier League trophy.
Indeed, he will have to win United’s 21st title to keep the club’s American owners happy – a task Van Gaal was made aware of before guiding Holland to third place in the World Cup over the summer.
These revelations make the pressure on the United boss even more intense. He is still yet to win his first competitive match in charge of the club, having failed to win any of his first three Premier League games, while his side were also knocked out of the Capital One Cup by League One MK Dons.
Meanwhile, United’s £150m summer spending spree has made the club’s need for success even greater, with the arrivals of Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao and more designed to return to the club to its pedestal at the top of the English game.
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