Winning the FA Cup could purchase time for Louis van Gaal to succeed at Manchester United, says previous England striker Alan Shearer.
Winning the FA Cup could purchase time for Louis van Gaal to succeed at Manchester United, says previous England striker Alan Shearer.
Yet, his side achieved the FA Cup fifth round with a 3-1 win at Derby.
“When Arsenal won the FA Cup it kept them going and gave Arsene Wenger a bit of time,” said Shearer.
Arsenal director Wenger was intensely censured by a few Gunners supporters before completion a nine-year trophy dry spell by winning the 2014 FA Cup.
The Frenchman conceded in the development to the accompanying season that achievement had “lifted the pressure”, with his group beating so as to go ahead to hold the trophy Aston Villa at Wembley last May.
Wenger’s group are currently trying for the Premier League title, and Shearer thinks winning the FA Cup could likewise have a constructive outcome for both Van Gaal and United.
“Without this competition you could imagine the calls that Wenger would be having to answer,” said Shearer, 45. “It’s a similar situation now for Manchester United.”
The Red Devils are fifth in the Premier League, five points loose of fourth-put Tottenham as they plan to secure Champions League capability for next season.
Van Gaal’s side was killed after the gathering period of Europe’s head club rivalry this season, dropping into the Europa League.
Also, previous United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel said the FA Cup is their just any expectation of rescuing an unacceptable season.
“If they had lost at Derby the season would have been finished,” said the 52-year-old Dane.
“I can’t remember any point in Manchester United’s history when the season has been finished in January.”
Van Gaal is intending to lead United to a record-equalling twelfth FA Cup achievement, yet says the opposition does not hold any more significance to him than either the Premier League or Europa League.
The Red Devils have not won the FA Cup since beating Millwall in 2004 last under Sir Alex Ferguson while just Juan Mata in the flow squad has a champ’s decoration having won the opposition with Chelsea in 2012.
“The Premier League is important and the FA Cup also because it is the greatest cup in English history,” said Van Gaal.
“We haven’t won it for a long time. We dream of it but after two wins you cannot say we shall win the trophy because a lot of clubs want to win it.
“I want to win it but I want to win every match. There’s no question of that.”
