LOUIS van Gaal has insisted that Manchester United’s style of play has not changed under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Sportsmail reported on Monday that United are close to appointing the Norwegian as their permanent manager. The 46-year-old has won 14 of his 19 games as caretaker boss since replacing Jose Mourinho in December.
Van Gaal, who was in the Old Trafford hotseat for two years, has acknowledged that Solskjaer has been successful but believes his style of play is no different to his predecessor’s.
“The coach after me [Mourinho] changed to park-the-bus tactics and played on the counter,” the Dutchman told the BBC.
“Now there is another coach who parks the bus and plays on the counter. The main difference between Mourinho and Solskjaer is that Solskjaer is winning.
“I am not there but there does look to be a change and the atmosphere seems to be better. It is also true that Solskjaer has changed Paul Pogba’s position and put him into an area where he is much more important.
“But the way Manchester United are playing now is not the way [Sir Alex] Ferguson played. It is defensive, counter-attacking football. If you like it, you like it. If you think it is more exciting than my boring attacking, OK. But it is not my truth.”
United are two points off fourth place in the Premier League standings and face Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League next month.
Solskjaer’s side overcame a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Paris Saint-Germain to progress to the last eight.
Van Gaal believes his former side have a chance of going all the way in the competition but pointed out that if they do it will be down to Mourinho.
“They can win the Champions League because they play a defensive system and it is very difficult to beat them, which, whether you like it or not, is the result of Mourinho’s work.” – MailOnline
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