Louis van Gaal expects Manchester United to be back fighting for the Premier League title next season.
A strong second half to this campaign has lifted Van Gaal’s team to the brink of a top-four finish and a place in the Uefa Champions League next year — a far cry from the disappointment of last season under David Moyes when they finished seventh.
Ahead of Saturday’s home game with West Bromwich Albion, Van Gaal said: “This year we are not challenging but we are very close to second position.
“I think Chelsea are far above other clubs but next year can be different. Next year we will also have a different squad — not only us but Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and the other clubs who are battling for first position. We have seen in the matches between the top clubs this season that it’s not a big gap.”
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Van Gaal believes a busy summer in the transfer market, along with better preparations on this coming summer’s pre-season tour to the United States, will enhance his team’s title bid.
Last close season, United embarked on a gruelling five-city tour of the United States over the summer that proved exhausting and led to United making a terrible start to the campaign, collecting just 13 points from the opening 10 games, their worst opening to a season in 28 years.
This summer, Van Gaal has insisted on United remaining on the west coast of the US, based only in Seattle and San Jose and with far less travelling involved.
“We need better balance in our (team) selection but also Manchester United have adapted to a better (pre-season) preparation,” said Van Gaal.
“We shall have two base camps in the United States so we are not flying between matches, we are going by bus and that’s better.
“We have started very badly this year because when you cut the start off, we shall equalise Chelsea (in the table). So we have to start better.”
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liverpool youngsters
Ki-Jana Hoever
The only one of this squad to have scored for Liverpool, the versatile Dutchman impressed on his debut at Wolves in January. He can play right-back, centre-back or in midfield.
Herbie Kane
Not the most prominent H Kane in English football but a 21-year-old Bristolian who had a fine season on loan at Doncaster last year. He is an all-action midfielder.
Luis Longstaff
Signed from Newcastle but no relation to United’s brothers Sean and Matty, Luis is a winger. An England Under-16 international, he helped Liverpool win the FA Youth Cup last season.
Yasser Larouci
An 18-year-old Algerian-born winger who can also play as a left-back, Larouci did well on Liverpool’s pre-season tour until an awful tackle by a Sevilla player injured him.
Adam Lewis
Steven Gerrard is a fan of his fellow Scouser, who has been on Liverpool’s books since he was in the Under-6s, Lewis was a midfielder, but has been converted into a left-back.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The five pillars of Islam
Jebel Ali results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 64,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: One Vision, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gabr, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
4pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 96,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
4.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Torno Subito, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Untold Secret, Jose Santiago, Salem bin Ghadayer
The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
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