This season shouldn’t be viewed as a backwards step – LVG

Louis van Gaal: Defends United's achievements this season

Louis van Gaal: Defends United's achievements this season

Louis van Gaal has once again launched a fierce defence of Manchester United’s performances this season – and insists the 2015/16 campaign must not be viewed as a step back in quality.

United are enjoying their best period of the season, winning six of their last seven matches and reaching the FA Cup final.

But they are still outsiders to qualify for the Champions League, which surely would have been the minimum expectation at the start of the season.

Van Gaal, though, insisted this campaign should not be seen as a backward step after last season’s fourth-placed finish.

He said: “We are still in the first five, last year we were in the first four, so the difference in points (to Leicester) is not bigger than with Chelsea I believe.

“The question for us is to qualify (for the Champions League). Fourth position is okay, third position then we have reached our aim. But we have of course a final to play in the FA Cup, so we have pluses.

“We are more or less in the same position only last year we didn’t play so many matches. We have played a lot of matches. I think only Manchester City has played one more and Liverpool probably.

“We were one of the latest clubs in three competitions, and in spite of all the injuries we are still there.

“I don’t think you can say that we haven’t played at a certain level. We have played at a certain level and we played fantastic matches, but we have also played lousy matches.

“I think every club has played lousy matches, also Leicester City, but they have won their lousy matches.”