• Premier League

Van Gaal rips into United players

Louis van Gaal was heard laying into his Manchester United players in the dressing room after they surrendered a 3-1 lead to lose 5-3 at Leicester on Sunday.

The capitulation at the King Power Stadium left United with just five points from as many games this season, their worst start to a Premier League campaign.

Sky News and ITV presenter Eamonn Holmes - a celebrity United fan with close ties to the club, who is also a close friend of Sir Alex Ferguson - took to Twitter later on Sunday claiming to have overheard an explosive rant from Van Gaal:

Walked past The United dressing room post match ....let's just say I wouldn't have liked to have been on the receiving end of LVG ! V Loud.— Eamonn Holmes (@EamonnHolmes) September 21, 2014

Former United manager Ferguson was famous for his own 'hairdryer' treatment of his players at times during his 27 years at Old Trafford but the Daily Mail claimed United's players were rocked by the level of Van Gaal's outburst, which The Sun say was also overheard by several other bystanders in the vicinity of the away dressing room.

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Van Gaal didn't hold back in his public criticism of his team either following the defeat, saying United had "given the game away" and that they "cannot make the errors we did".

It was the first time in Premier League history - a run encompassing 853 games - that United had ever lost having been two goals in front.

Van Gaal still has just one competitive win to his name at United, despite spending over £150 million this summer, with Radamel Falcao given his first start on Sunday while fellow new signings Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Daley Blind were also included.

There was also reported disquiet among the United players following the match, with the Daily Mail claiming that one player could be overheard questioning Van Gaal's decision to substitute £59.7 million Angel Di Maria with the score at 3-3.

British record signing Di Maria had scored a sublime lofted chip - an early contender for goal of the season - to put United 2-0 ahead in the first half but was taken off in the second half for Juan Mata, who then gave the ball away in the build-up to Leicester's fourth goal, scored by Jamie Vardy.

Desite Van Gaal's lavish spending, former United midfielder Phil Neville claims the club may need to splash out another £100m in the next two transfer windows if they are to reclaim the Premier League title.

Neville, who was part of David Moyes' and interim manager Ryan Giggs' backroom staff last season but wasn't kept on by Van Gaal, told BBC Radio 5 live he "wasn't surprised" by the result.

Louis van Gaal said Manchester United "gave the game away" at Leicester © Getty Images

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He added: "I know United have spent £150m. I think there's another two transfer windows of similar amounts of money needed - maybe £100m - before they can even think about winning the title."

United are two points worse off than they were under former manager Moyes at this stage last season and Neville feels there are still key positions in the team that need filling.

"I think the centre-back position is obviously the key area," Neville said. "Holding midfield or centre midfield needs addressing [too]."

However, Neville believes United's under-fire backline will come good and defended the club's failure to sign an established centre-back in the summer.

"That squad needed quality, not just run-of-the-mill players, they needed world-class players," he said.

"And there were no world-class centre-backs out there. I think that's why in the next two transfer windows, United might still be looking for that world-class defender.

"I am certain Chris Smalling will come good and I have full faith in Phil Jones as well. They've bought of a lot of foreign players, you don't get rid of your English spine."

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