Arsenal and Manchester United were embarrassed on Saturday, while Chelsea had a draw on another erratic day in the Premier League, when, despite losing to Liverpool, Leicester City’s surprise lead was maintained.
United manager Louis van Gaal might not stick around in England to see if Leicester can win the league for the first time.
Losing 2-0 to Stoke City on Boxing Day condemned United to a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions for the first time since 1961 and pushed the team down to sixth place.
Photo: Reuters
Van Gaal lamented his players’ inability to handle the pressure and partly blamed the windy conditions in Stoke.
Then the manager conceded he might be at fault and suggested he could resign.
“I do my utmost best to find solutions to cope with the pressure, but in the end my players have to do that by themselves,” Van Gaal said.
It was a hapless first-half performance, and Van Gaal questioned why his players “don’t dare to play football.”
Memphis Depay’s diving backward header allowed Bojan Krkic to put Stoke in front and Marko Arnautovic powered in a second goal from outside the penalty area.
Wayne Rooney was forced to start a league game on the bench for the first time in two years and United provided a greater threat only with their captain on the field in the second half. However, a combination of poor finishing and Jack Butland’s saves prevented United from leaving Stoke with any points.
Van Gaal’s comments and demeanor suggest his stay at Old Trafford is nearing an end after barely 18 months in charge.
“I can also quit by myself,” Van Gaal said when asked about receiving assurances about his job security, before adding: “It is not always ... the club has to fire or sack me.”
Asked whether he would be in charge at Old Trafford today, when United is to play Chelsea, Van Gaal said: “You will have to wait and see, but I think so.”
On a rare day when every Premier League team was in action, there was a bigger humbling for Arsenal, who missed the chance to go top after being thrashed by Southampton.
Arsenal stayed two points behind Leicester, who lost to Liverpool.
Manchester City quickly recovered from losing at Arsenal on Monday to thump struggling Sunderland 4-1 to stay third.
There were four different City scorers: Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure, Wilfried Bony and Kevin de Bruyne.
A change of manager at Chelsea produced no quick-fix. Guus Hiddink’s first match in charge ended in a 2-2 draw at home to high-flying Watford after Oscar missed a second-half penalty that could have secured back-to-back wins.
Watford came from behind after conceding from Diego Costa’s volley to take the lead at Stamford Bridge. Troy Deeney leveled from the spot and Odion Igahlo put the visitors in front before Costa equalized with his second.
While Chelsea remained two points above the relegation zone — and 13 points from fourth place — Watford are behind United only on goal difference in seventh place.
Tottenham Hotspur remained fourth after a 3-0 victory over Norwich City engineered by Harry Kane’s double — the first from the penalty spot — and Tom Carroll’s strike.
Kane has 27 goals this year, surpassing Teddy Sheringham’s previous club record of 26 in a calendar year, which he made 22 years ago.
Crystal Palace were two points behind Tottenham in fifth place after a 0-0 draw against AFC Bournemouth that extended the London club’s unbeaten run to four games.
Aston Villa remained bottom and Remi Garde is still searching for a first win as manager after a 1-1 draw against West Ham United.
Newcastle United dropped into the relegation zone after Tom Cleverley gave Everton a 1-0 win at St James’ Park.
Swansea City climbed out of the bottom three by beating West Bromwich Albion 1-0, with Ki Sung-yueng’s first goal of the season ending a four-month spell without a home win in south Wales.
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