Manchester United travel to the iPro Stadium on Friday night to face Derby County in the FA Cup fourth round with Louis van Gaal desperate for a win.
The Dutchman came under intense scrutiny after his side’s 1-0 loss at home to Southampton last weekend, which was their sixth Premier League defeat of the campaign.
In turn, it piled the pressure back on the coach with speculation that he had even offered his resignation to the club, according to The Guardian, as the Red Devils have won just seven of their last 22 matches and have averaged less than a goal a game in that period.
SEE MORE:
Video: Van Gaal responds angrily to resignation talk
Former Chelsea boss plotting Man United FA Cup downfall
Manchester United latest injury news
While an angry Van Gaal dismissed that report in his press conference on Thursday, he is fully aware of the importance of getting a positive result this weekend.
With the FA Cup being their only realistic chance of silverware this season, the 64-year-old is likely to select a strong starting line up featuring many regulars.
However, the injury crisis in defence coupled with a desire to perhaps rest certain key individuals could see some rotation, with the likes of Paddy McNair and Andreas Pereira potentially getting the nod for kick off.
It could be an ideal situation for Memphis Depay to rediscover his form too, while Bastian Schweinsteiger is expected to return from injury and his experience in the middle of the pitch will be crucial.
United can’t afford another slip up, and so Van Gaal will be taking this game very seriously as he hopes to silence his critics for a week at least.
Predicted Man United XI vs Derby County
