• Premier League

Van Gaal: United can still win title

Louis van Gaal said he would draw on his years of experience to mould United into title-winners © Getty Images

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Louis van Gaal has insisted he can still guide Manchester United to the Premier League title after he claimed it would be "easy" to select his best XI from a squad of expensive signings.

United spent a British-record £150 million on new talent this summer and Van Gaal could hand debuts to four of his acquisitions against QPR on Sunday. Radamel Falcao, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Luke Shaw are all fit to figure at Old Trafford, while £59.7m signing Angel Di Maria is also in line to make his first home appearance for the club.

Ed Woodward, United's executive vice-chairman, told investors this week that the club was aiming to finish in the top three and secure Champions League football once again after finishing seventh last season.

But despite the upheaval in the squad and a poor start to the season which has seen United take just two points from a potential nine, Van Gaal said he believes his side can still be champions.

"Yes, it is possible," Van Gaal said. "This is because we have to play a lot matches and we are not so much behind.

"We have spoken about the target when we [Van Gaal and Woodward] had the meetings together. A club like Manchester United needs to put targets and I also put targets. I don't think it is unreasonable target [to finish in the top three].

"Whether it is difficult is another question, but a club like United must always put a target. Within the top three is logical because United always want to be in the Champions League. But we have to produce results, starting on Sunday against QPR."

To make room for his big-money signings, Van Gaal has dispensed with 14 players, including Academy graduate Danny Welbeck, whose £16m transfer to Arsenal led some to question whether United had lost their identity in the multi-million pound era.

Van Gaal however, insisted he was confident he could mould the new-look United into a tight-knit squad, although experience told him it would take time.

"What we have done in the transfer period is very good," Van Gaal said. "In spite of the fact we don't play in the Champions League, the players are coming to United and that is a big plus. But what the fans are expecting and what I expect are different.

"The fans will expect a new start of course and, with these kind of players, a victory. But I know as a coach that when you let 14 players go and buy six new ones you have 20 different relationships in the dressing room. The hierarchy has gone and now we have to build up a new one. That always needs time.

"It depends on the personalities of the players. We have a lot of Spanish players who don't speak English so well, so that is always a difficult part.

"We shall see who is playing tomorrow, but for a coach, it is always easy because he can decide the team and he decides on what he sees, or at least I do.

"I observe and then decide. I don't have any worries about that. I've done that for more than 25 years."

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