Reds must improve on the road

LOUIS van Gaal admits Manchester United have no chance of winning the title unless their away form improves.

United stretched their unbeaten run to 10 matches at Stoke yesterday, but had to settle for a 1–1 draw rather than the win they needed. But Chelsea’s shock defeat at Spurs meant United’s standing in the league actually improved.

Van Gaal’s team is now nine points behind joint leaders Manchester City, but the United boss knows his team would be just three points shy had they won rather than drawn their last three away games at Aston Villa, Tottenham and Stoke.

“When you want to win the league you have to win away from home, and at the minute we aren’t doing that,” Van Gaal said.

“We aren’t losing, but we aren’t winning either. If you want to be a champion, you have to win these games.”

The Reds are in FA Cup third-round action at Yeovil Town on Sunday, when Chadderton-based Ben Pearson could make his first-team debut.