Man United Coach Van Gaal accepts blame as Unted crash at home

Louis van Gaal accepted responsibility after

Manchester United crashed to a 2-1 loss at

home to Swansea City on Saturday in his first

Premier League game as manager.

The 63-year-old Dutchman is bidding to

transform United’s fortunes after a dismal

seventh-place finish last season, but his tenure

got off to a similarly disappointing start as

Swansea claimed a first league win at Old

Trafford.

Ki Sung-yueng put Swansea ahead in the 28th

minute and although new United captain Wayne

Rooney hooked home a 53rd-minute equaliser,

Gylfi Sigurdsson gave the Welsh side victory with

18 minutes to play.

“We were very nervous in the first half, made

the wrong choices, and that is a pity. In the

second half we never played as a team.

Therefore I’m responsible,” said Van Gaal.

“It is very disappointing that we have lost our

first home match. We didn’t reach the level we

can play at.

“That is disappointing because we have done it

much better and when you cannot do it in your

first home match that is disappointing,

especially for the fans.”

Van Gaal set his team out in the 3-4-1-2

formation that he had successfully introduced in

pre-season, but Ki’s goal forced him into a half-

time switch.

Nani came on for striker Javier Hernandez, with

Ashley Young moving to left-back, but although

Rooney equalised soon after and then hit the

post from a free-kick, United struggled to create

further chances.

“We had more chances than Swansea, but that

shall say nothing about the result,” Van Gaal

added.

“It is the goals that count. I thought we would

win (at 1-1), but because we are not playing as

a team in the second half, we made the wrong

decisions going forward.

“My players did their utmost best, which I said

in the dressing room, but you also need to play

as a team and reach your level.”

With new left-back Luke Shaw sidelined by a

hamstring injury, United had only one close-

season signing in their starting XI in the shape

of former Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander

Herrera.

Injuries obliged Van Gaal to hand competitive

debuts to youngsters Tyler Blackett and Jesse

Lingard, but he dismissed suggestions that the

result would force him to take emergency action

in the transfer market.

“No, because that is a short-term assault. Of

course we need defenders, but I have already

said that in former press conferences,” he told

BT Sport.

“You cannot say because of one game that we

lost, and all the others we won, that it is the

defence (that is responsible). It’s the team.”