• Premier League

Manchester United manager Van Gaal escapes FA sanction

The FA has announced that Louis van Gaal has been warned as to his future conduct after the Manchester United manager was found to have breached FA rules in relation to media comments.

Van Gaal was charged for his comments after the 0-0 draw against Cambridge in the FA Cup on January 23, when he stated: "Every aspect of a match is against us - the pitch, the referee."

A statement on the FA's official website read: "Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing on February 18, 2015, Louis van Gaal has been warned as to his future conduct after he was found to have breached FA Rules in relation to media comments.

"The Manchester United manager denied that his comments which followed the FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Cambridge United on January 23 2015 alleged and/or implied bias on the part of the match referee, and/or brought the game into disrepute."

Van Gaal denied the charge and said on February 6 that he intended to fight the charge, saying: "I'm not angry, I'm disappointed. Still, up to now, I don't think I said something wrong."

The former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager believes he has an impeccable disciplinary record as a manager and felt he was just generalising by talking about the way many people want an underdog to win.

He added: "I am a trainer, coach or manager for nearly 30 years and I have never been charged up until now. I said in the press conference the same phrases that everyone is in favour of the underdog.

"Everybody is for the underdog. I cannot imagine the FA has charged me but it is like that."

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