Louis van Gaal hoping Man Utd's injury woes won't harm Champions League qualification aim

Louis van Gaal could be without 10 players for the visit of PSV

LOUIS VAN GAAL'S hopes of securing the win that will put Manchester United into the Champions League knock-out stages have been hit by a lengthening injury list.

 

United could be without 10 players for tomorrow's visit of PSV Eindhoven to Old Trafford with Phil Jones (ankle), Ander Herrera (hamstring) and Juan Mata (ankle) joining Wayne Rooney, Antony Martial, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, James Wilson, Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw in the treatment room.

Rooney hopes to have recovered from the bug that kept him out of the win at Watford while Mata and Martial have the best chance of recovering in time to figure in the Group B game.

But United will still be short of options for a vital game with Van Gaal looking for a third successive group home win to ensure qualification and avoid the need to go to high-riding Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg on match day six looking for points.

 

"We are in a lousy period with a lot of injuries," he said. "You always have to win your home matches but that point in Moscow against CSKA is very important for us.

"I said after that result that we are on schedule and I still think I am right about that. If we beat PSV, then we will have qualified."

But Van Gaal predicts a tough night against PSV, who came from behind to beat United 2-1 in the opening group game in September, a night marred by Shaw's horrific double leg break.

"It is very important to win, but it is not easy because PSV have beaten us and Wolfsburg and I think that they are a very good team," he said.