Louis van Gaal has suggested Juan Mata
will replace suspended captain Wayne Rooney for Manchester United
against Everton but remained coy over who would take the armband on
Sunday.
Rooney, 28, will miss United's next three games after receiving a straight red card for kicking Stewart Downing during the 2-1 win over West Ham last Saturday.
The United manager hinted Mata will start in his favoured No.10 role, while Paddy McNair - who debuted at centre-back against West Ham - will keep his starting role.
Rooney, 28, will miss United's next three games after receiving a straight red card for kicking Stewart Downing during the 2-1 win over West Ham last Saturday.
The United manager hinted Mata will start in his favoured No.10 role, while Paddy McNair - who debuted at centre-back against West Ham - will keep his starting role.
"In [Rooney's] position Juan Mata has
played very well," Van Gaal told his pre-match news conference on
Friday. "I have to choose. I will miss Wayne because he is the captain
of the team but Mata can also play very well."
Darren Fletcher is the club's vice-captain and could well take over Rooney's responsibilities on Sunday given Ander Herrera's absence through a cracked rib.
However, Van Gaal refused to reveal his choice, stating: "You shall see. I have told the players but you shall see on Sunday."
Van Gaal confirmed United are without nine first-team players for the Premier League clash at Old Trafford, with Phil Jones not yet ready for a comeback.
"It's difficult to explain," he continued. "You can be fit but not match fit - that's a big difference. For example, Herrera is fit but he cannot play because of his rib pressure. [Marouane] Fellaini has trained for one week but is not yet fit to play 90 minutes. We have eight injuries and one suspension so nine players are not available.
"We still have three central defenders injured so [McNair] shall play. He is the only player who can play in the right-sided [central] defensive position. I chose him last week and he played very well.
It's difficult for a player like him to maintain that level - that is his biggest challenge."
Unlike United, Everton are recovering from continental competition after securing a late 1-1 Europa League draw at Krasnodar in Russia on Thursday, though Van Gaal doubts the visitors' long trip will impact their performance on Sunday.
"It's difficult to explain because the result is very important," he said. "You have to look at how did you fly? How did you manage that as a group or as individual players? It's logical to say maybe we have the benefit but the motivation [for Everton] to play at Old Trafford against United is maybe much more important than the flight.
"I have to say that I like Everton because they want to play football like I want to play football. It shall be a very interesting game. I know we lost to them twice last season so it will be difficult. I hope we can dominate the game but they will want to do that too. They are more likely to play on the counter than us. That's also the difficulty."
Van Gaal was also supportive of the club's plans to play midweek exhibition matches abroad in the new year, despite previously raising concerns over the lengthy travelling having a negative impact on his team.
The matches, which could take place in the Middle East, would provide Van Gaal's team with some kind of competition during the weeks when their rivals are in Champions League action.
"I agree with that [idea],'' the United manager said. "We [managing director Richard Arnold] have spoken last week with each other and also [executive vice-chairman] Ed Woodward, so I fully agree.
"I'm used to playing midweeks but I have said in the first three months [of the season] we have to wait because it's difficult enough for the players to adapt and adjust to the new play organisation and style, and they shall honour that, but we shall play midweeks."
Source http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/352495.html
Darren Fletcher is the club's vice-captain and could well take over Rooney's responsibilities on Sunday given Ander Herrera's absence through a cracked rib.
However, Van Gaal refused to reveal his choice, stating: "You shall see. I have told the players but you shall see on Sunday."
Van Gaal confirmed United are without nine first-team players for the Premier League clash at Old Trafford, with Phil Jones not yet ready for a comeback.
"It's difficult to explain," he continued. "You can be fit but not match fit - that's a big difference. For example, Herrera is fit but he cannot play because of his rib pressure. [Marouane] Fellaini has trained for one week but is not yet fit to play 90 minutes. We have eight injuries and one suspension so nine players are not available.
"We still have three central defenders injured so [McNair] shall play. He is the only player who can play in the right-sided [central] defensive position. I chose him last week and he played very well.
It's difficult for a player like him to maintain that level - that is his biggest challenge."
Unlike United, Everton are recovering from continental competition after securing a late 1-1 Europa League draw at Krasnodar in Russia on Thursday, though Van Gaal doubts the visitors' long trip will impact their performance on Sunday.
"It's difficult to explain because the result is very important," he said. "You have to look at how did you fly? How did you manage that as a group or as individual players? It's logical to say maybe we have the benefit but the motivation [for Everton] to play at Old Trafford against United is maybe much more important than the flight.
"I have to say that I like Everton because they want to play football like I want to play football. It shall be a very interesting game. I know we lost to them twice last season so it will be difficult. I hope we can dominate the game but they will want to do that too. They are more likely to play on the counter than us. That's also the difficulty."
Van Gaal was also supportive of the club's plans to play midweek exhibition matches abroad in the new year, despite previously raising concerns over the lengthy travelling having a negative impact on his team.
The matches, which could take place in the Middle East, would provide Van Gaal's team with some kind of competition during the weeks when their rivals are in Champions League action.
"I agree with that [idea],'' the United manager said. "We [managing director Richard Arnold] have spoken last week with each other and also [executive vice-chairman] Ed Woodward, so I fully agree.
"I'm used to playing midweeks but I have said in the first three months [of the season] we have to wait because it's difficult enough for the players to adapt and adjust to the new play organisation and style, and they shall honour that, but we shall play midweeks."
Source http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/352495.html
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