​ Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has insisted that injuries are responsible for ruining his team's season, pointing out that the Red Devils were top of the Premier League in November before half of his squad was ruled out of action - a situation which only eased in March.





"When everybody was fit, we were first in the league at that time. Then when we had 14 injuries, or the double injuries on the full-back positions, I could not solve that problem," van Gaal is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.

"But still we are here, still we are fighting for the fourth place, also we are in the final of the FA Cup. We have played in three competitions. I think we are the team who have played the most matches in this season. We've done it with a small group with 14 injuries."





The Dutchman has taken huge criticism for the way that his team have played throughout the season, lacking the attacking nature that fans have come to expect, but he was keen to point out the occasions that United have played well.





"[The players] have shown great spirit a lot of times this season because we have lost, and I have said this a lot, against Liverpool and then we came back against West Ham, for example. We have lost against Arsenal 3-0 in London, then we won in Liverpool against Everton, 3-0," the boss explained.

The performance in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton on Saturday was another example of the vast potential that United do have in their locker - flying in direct opposition to those who claim the squad lacks quality.





Van Gaal remains under constant pressure from speculation about his future. The former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach still has another year left on his contract, but the widespread media is now insistent that Jose Mourinho will be in charge come the start of next season - one newspaper has even claimed an announcement will be made in just a few weeks.

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