- Manchester United and Tottenham drew 0-0 in their Premier League clash
- Louis van Gaal was unhappy with his forwards’ finishing
- He said winning the league was impossible unless they improved
Louis van Gaal has warned Manchester United’s misfiring strikers that they can write off their title hopes if they continue to be as wasteful as they were against Tottenham.
A point ensured United extended their excellent unbeaten run to nine games and keeps them within sight of Chelsea, but missed opportunities are grating on the Dutchman. He was unhappy after United could only draw at Aston Villa before Christmas and had pointed words for his squad after they left the pitch on Sunday.
‘I said in the dressing room that when you cannot win such type of matches when you are the better team — like against Villa and also now — then it is very difficult to be the champions at the end of the season,’ Van Gaal said.
Hugo Lloris makes himself big to deny Robin van Persie as Manchester United spurned several great chances
Juan Mata sees his free kick deflected off the Tottenham wall and onto Hugo Lloris’ post
‘When you play your best first half of the season, as we did, and you are playing at White Hart Lane against a top-six club and you play like that and create six to eight open chances, then you have to finish them.’
United faded badly in the second half, with Ryan Mason blowing a glorious late chance to snatch a win for Spurs. Van Gaal blamed the festive schedule for his side’s slump, hitting out at the Premier League tradition that saw United, like the rest of the division, playing on Sunday having also turned out on Boxing Day.
Neither Falcao or Van Persie were able to turn the ball over the line as it came back off the post
A frustrated Van Gaal makes an angry point to fourth official Lee Mason during the clash in London
Wayne Rooney scored twice on Boxing Day but failed to find the back of the net against Spurs on Sunday
He said: ‘It is scientifically proven that the body cannot recover in 48 hours. You see what it is like — the second half is much different to the first.’
However, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino insisted: ‘The condition was the same for both teams. (They) had the same hours as us to recover.’
He also felt his side could have had a penalty in the second half when United’s Wayne Rooney grappled with striker Harry Kane.
‘Maybe it was a penalty because I saw it on the TV. But from my vision during the game it was difficult to define,’ he said.
Rooney, continuing in his new midfield role, challenges in the air with Benjamin Stambouli
Radamel Falcao had several excellent chances in the first half, but could not find a way past Lloris
