Manchester United News conference

LVG ON ROONEY

Here’s some more from Louis van Gaal on the ankle injury which has ruled Wayne Rooney out of Manchester United’s clash with West Ham on Saturday. 

He said: "Wayne’s is a nasty injury. When we go on it’s been getting worse. We have to let him train to make the ankle stronger, that’s very important. 

“I cannot say [how long he'll be out] because the doctor shall decide that with Wayne of course. He is training well in the rehabilitation."

 

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is also doubt for Tuesday's crunch Champions League game at Wolfsburg because of an ankle injury. 

Manager Louis van Gaal said: "He shall not play his 500th (Man Utd) game because he is more injured than I thought; we have to wait for that game. 

"The problem is when you see our injuries they are always contact injuries and you cannot afford that, Shaw, Rojo – Wayne – we have a lot of contact injuries and also long lasting injuring so that is our problem, we are looking but it is not that easy to buy players and in January it is more difficult."

ROJO OUT 

Marcos Rojo has joined the growing injury list at Old Trafford. 

Here’s LVG’s assessment of Manchester United’s latest casualty. 

“Rojo has been injured. It’s his shoulder, the same as last year, in a training session. It’s very unfortunate, also in the position of Luke Shaw so I have a great problem,” he said. 

“Lingard is coming back which is good news. Jones is still injured so we have six injuries."

LVG ON TITLE CHARGE

With Manchester United just a point behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, manager Louis van Gaal has been speaking about the importance of his side maintaining their momentum through the winter months. 

"It is very important to continue in the top six," Van Gaal said. 

"I don’t think this moment shall decide who are the champions. December and January are very important but you have to be in the month of May at the top and not now.

"I know the coach (Slaven Bilic) a little bit. I have seen how he works with his teams. He always has them well organized and he plays always more or less from out of the defensive organization.

“So they will be difficult to beat and they have proved that already because they have won more games away than at home and also against top teams so it shall be very difficult again."