Manchester United winning the Premier League title this season was 'unrealistic', says Louis van Gaal

Louis van Gaal ends a tempestuous league season as Manchester United manager on Sunday claiming it was unrealistic to expect his team to challenge for this season’s title and admitting that he is uncertain about his future with the club.

United have a chance of finishing fourth, and qualifying for next season’s Champions League, but only if rivals Manchester City fail to collect a point at Swansea and his side beats Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

It appears a long-shot but, despite their problems in the league this term, Van Gaal seems to feel that with a challenge for fourth place and a run to the FA Cup Final against Crystal Palace, he has done enough to stay in charge for the third and final year of his contract.

“We can win the FA Cup,” said Van Gaal. “How many are still in the race? How many?

“It’s not so many, so of course if we don’t qualify ourselves, then we haven’t reached our aim. That is true because our aim was to qualify, but we are in the final of the FA Cup and we are in the race in the last match - mathematically, we can qualify ourselves still.

“How many teams can say that? Not many. Of course you can say Manchester United need to be champions. Yes, I know the expectations are like that but I don’t think that is realistic.

“And I have said I shall be here, that is my opinion, so the board has to decide if it is like that. That is a different way of looking at the situation.”

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Van Gaal’s claim that hopes of a United title success are “unrealistic” ring somewhat hollow in a season in which Leicester City have won the league with comparative ease.

But, in this most unpredictable of Premier League campaigns, a top four finish should have been well within United’s reach, especially as City’s draw last weekend left Van Gaal’s team needing two victories in their final two games to clinch a Champions League place - a target which disappeared in Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat at West Ham.

Long shot as it may be, a consensus seems to be growing that should United finish fourth - and win the FA Cup a week later - that may be enough to ensure the Dutchman keeps his job, although Van Gaal did not want to deal in hypotheticals.

“That is “if” and I want to stick to the facts,” he said. “Also when it is positive for me it’s not good, you can only talk about the facts, and the facts are that we are still fighting for Champions League qualification.

“We depend on Man City but we are still fighting and for the FA Cup, and then we shall see what the board is doing.

“We are dependent on Manchester City that’s the difference, that’s also frustrating when you had the chance, two matches before the end, to keep that advantage. We were 2-1 ahead with 15 minutes to play and then we gave it away, that’s frustrating, now we are dependent but still it is possible. We fight until the end.”