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Swansea manager Garry Monk has praised "adaptable" Louis van Gaal ahead of Manchester United's visit to the Liberty Stadium.

Van Gaal's tactics have often been criticised during his Old Trafford tenure and his team were dubbed "long-ball United" by West Ham manager Sam Allardyce after the recent 1-1 draw between the two sides at Upton Park.

Allardyce highlighted a number of long balls played towards United substitute Marouane Fellaini, one of which led to the big Belgian causing confusion in the Hammers penalty area and Daley Blind grabbing a stoppage-time equaliser.

Van Gaal reacted angrily at his next press conference by presenting a dossier in which he challenged Allardyce's claim and defended United's tactics - and he appears to have found a supporter in Monk before their Barclays Premier League date on Saturday.

"I watched that game and I think the long balls I saw were in the last five minutes, which quite rightly they used to their strength with Fellaini in a forward position," Monk said.

"There's no problem with that whatsoever. It actually shows good strength that they can be adaptable.

"I understand what was said but in this game nowadays you have to be adaptable.

"You can't just have one set way of playing and I think Manchester United have done that well this season.

"They've got fantastic players and play fantastic football, they can mix it up and that's what a good team can do.

"They can adapt their style for any given moment or period of the game and that was the case against West Ham."

Monk celebrated probably his finest moment as a manager when Swansea won 2-1 at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season in August - Van Gaal's first game in charge of United.

The Dutchman won only one of his first five league games but, despite rarely producing the flowing football which became the club's trademark under Sir Alex Ferguson, Van Gaal has overseen an impressive run of one defeat in 19 games in all competitions with United climbing to third in the Premier League.

"Let's not forget they've only lost one of their last 15 league games so they're very effective whatever way they play," Monk said.

"It takes time as a manager to implement ideas. He's gone in there with a couple of systems and the new way of training, and that takes time.

"The run they've been on and where they are in the league show what he does works.

"They're already taking his things on board and I can only see them going from strength to strength."

Swansea's own form is not so impressive with only one win in seven league games as well as an FA Cup defeat at Championship club Blackburn in that time.

But Monk says his squad have re-grouped during a short break brought about by their cup exit.

"We've been trying to re-focus," said Monk, whose side remained ninth in the Premier League following their 2-0 defeat at West Brom on February 11.

"You can either feel sorry for yourself after defeat or re-focus and re-group and that's what we've done.

"In the last four or five weeks we've not performed to the exact levels we've become accustomed to or at least been consistent with our standards as we would like.

"But it's natural. Every team goes through those patches but we're looking to come through it and make sure we finish the last 13 games strongly and put that consistency back in our game."