Van Gaal demands more

DAVID de Gea and Ashley Young produced some last–gasp heroics as Manchester United held on to continue their recent revival with a 2–1 win over Stoke last night.

But manager Louis van Gaal wasn’t happy with the performance.

De Gea made two brilliant point–blank saves and Young cleared off the line, all in stoppage time, as United edged out the Potters to claim their fourth successive Barclays Premier League victory.

Juan Mata was credited with their 59th–minute winner — though Marcos Rojo claimed to have got the final touch to his free–kick — after Steven Nzonzi had cancelled out Marouane Fellaini’s first–half opener.

The triumph, achieved without injured captain Wayne Rooney and record signing Angel di Maria, maintained United’s presence in the top four and set up an intriguing clash with third–placed Southampton next week.

United might have won more convincingly had Fellaini not spurned two further good chances, while 19–year–old James Wilson, given his chance in Rooney’s absence, also went close after a good run.

Van Gaal felt his side deserved the victory, though he wasn’t pleased with a lot of their play.

He said: “I am not happy with the performance. We were not as aggressive as in the last match and we want to play in the same style. In the second half we played much better.

Rooney did not feature after injuring his knee sliding into an advertising hoarding late in Saturday’s victory over Hull City. He was being assessed today.