DEFEAT at Tottenham was another blow what is turning out to be a nightmare season for Louis van Gaal.
Manchester United are now four points of the Champions League places — and the end of is surely near for the beleaguered Dutchman.
One the major criticisms of the former Ajax and Barcelona boss is that he has spent over £260million since replacing David Moyes in the summer of 2014 with very little to show for it.
Van Gaal has brought 15 players into Old Trafford.
And has arguably only had one standout success.
SunSport analyses the signings made during the Dutchman’s tenure.
Ander Herrera
MOYES tried to sign the Spaniard during his first summer — but failed over a tax-related issue.
A year later, and the deal was done.
Herrera became an integral player during United’s best period post-Sir Alex Ferguson, when he played a key role in victories over Spurs, Liverpool and Manchester City.
However, he has been in and out of the team this season.
On his day, he has shown he can dominate games, but needs to find that consistency.
7/10
Luke Shaw
SIGNED a day after Herrera.
Shaw struggled in his first season, and couldn’t stay fit to get himself a run of games.
However, he showed his determination to improve by bringing a fitness coach with him on holiday that summer.
And the improvement was sensational. Shaw was a different player — and the impact his horrific injury has had on United’s campaign cannot be overlooked.
Still just 20, he could grow into one of the best left-backs in the world.
Rating is only so low because of his lack of playing time.
6/10
Marcos Rojo
THE first signing made after Van Gaal was officially at the helm.
Rojo’s signing was a messy one — but the man who impressed the Dutch coach so much at the World Cup finally arrived in August.
However, he has really struggled with the pace of English football.
Injuries have hampered his development, but the 26-year-old would do well to still be at Old Trafford next season.
4/10
Angel Di Maria
THE most expensive signing in British football history at just under £60m.
Showed early glimpses of his undoubted quality — most notably when he netted a sensational lob in his third appearance, against Leicester.
However, off-field issues led to a dramatic drop in form.
The nadir was a dreadful performance during United’s defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup, culminating in a red card for a tug on the ref’s shirt.
Di Maria’s body language suggested he was desperate to leave — and he joined Paris Saint-Germain for £44m.
In France, he has since rediscovered his best form.
3/10
Daley Blind
HIS incredible reading of the game often gets him out of situations his remarkable lack of pace gets him into.
The versatile Dutchman moved to United for a modest £12.25m just two days before the closure of the transfer window.
He has shown he can slot in seamlessly at left-back and in defensive midfield — but has spent the majority of this campaign at centre-half.
Prone to bad decisions, but has shown his importance.
His intelligence has allowed Chris Smalling to grow into a top defender alongside him.
Blind has done enough to show he has a future at Old Trafford.
7/10
Radamel Falcao
COMBINE his time at Old Trafford with his season at Chelsea and he is a strong candidate for the Premier League’s worst-ever signing.
United fans were rightly excited following the arrival of the Colombian on Deadline Day, and he netted the winner against Everton in his fourth appearance.
However, he would go on to score just three more — and offer very little else.
Falcao was only on loan at Old Trafford — and the club, unsurprisingly, opted against a permanent deal.
Moved to Stamford Bridge for the 2015-16 season, and the club are desperate to offload the striker.
2/10
Victor Valdes
A BARCELONA legend who won the Champions League three times and made his professional debut under Van Gaal.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well, pretty much everything.
Valdes made his United bow in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal when he replaced the injured David De Gea on 74 minutes — and conceded just eight minutes later.
He played just one more game before Van Gaal publicly revealed he was to be placed on the transfer list for refusing to take part in an Under-21s game.
He was not given a squad number this season despite serious question marks over the future of De Gea.
Moved to Standard Liege on loan in January.
1/10
Andy Kellett
A BIZARRE loan signing from Bolton in January 2015.
United had to beat off competition from Plymouth for Kellett’s signature.
After a grand total of zero first team appearances, he returned to his parent club before moving to League One Wigan.
N/A
Memphis Depay
IF WE were ranking based on expectation vs reality, the former PSV ace would receive a minus score such has been the disappointment.
Has shown glimpses of stardom — most notably his stunning Champions League double against Club Brugge and breathtaking display in the 5-1 victory over FC Midtjylland.
Which makes his general underwhelming showing even more frustrating.
Has fallen below the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford in the pecking order.
His pass to nobody, which led to Chelsea’s stoppage time equaliser at Stamford Bridge, was a particularly low point.
Memphis has still contributed seven goals, but really disappointed and could even be sold in the summer.
3/10
Sergio Romero
SIGNED under the assumption De Gea would be leaving Old Trafford, the Argentina No1 actually started United’s first four games of the season.
But that run ended when a calamitous display against Swansea came just before the end of the transfer window — and Premier League’s Goalkeeper of the Year stayed.
Romero made two more appearances for United — home and away against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League — and produced a couple of wonder saves.
Has been made an unfair scapegoat this season, when he only really had one bad display.
Actually saved United on a few occasions on his debut against Tottenham and against the Danish minnows.
Still, ultimately, he isn’t good enough for the first team and another manager will likely sell him in the summer.
4/10
Matteo Darmian
APPEARED at home in English football after a comfortable start in Manchester — and was voted the club’s Player of the Month for August.
The right-back endured a difficult night as United lost to PSV Eindhoven, and his form took a turn for the worst.
Darmian was mercifully replaced at half-time of United’s 3-0 drubbing at Arsenal after being given the runaround by Alexis Sanchez.
Shaw’s injury has seen him often deputise at left-back which could have affected his form.
Has struggled, but has shown enough to be given another chance.
Is dependable and the Italian could still become the long-term solution at right-back for United.
6/10
Bastian Schweinsteiger
WORLD CUP winner moved from Bayern Munich amid much excitement among Red Devils supporters.
Many United fans still remember his commanding display for the Bavarians at Old Trafford back in 2010.
However, Schweinsteiger has seriously struggled to live up to his reputation.
His best role has been to use his experience to ease United to victory with late — a job he executed did splendidly when he came on with 20 minutes left of derby victory at the Etihad.
But, overall, he has failed to have desired impact.
At 31 and with a poor injury record, United didn’t sign him for his legs, but for his brain.
Yet he has failed to stamp his authority on big games and produced an insipid display when the club needed him most against Wolfsburg.
5/10
Morgan Schneiderlin
SIGNED at the same time as Schweinsteiger — and has been marginally better.
The Frenchman was billed as the man to finally replace Roy Keane in the middle of the park.
But, like the German, has failed to have the desired impact.
Has shown he is Premier League quality with his displays for Southampton.
And Schneiderlin could point to the fact he hasn’t been used properly by Van Gaal.
Could — and probably should — still become a really important player for United.
But, given his performances for the Saints, the 20-times English champions would have expected more.
6/10
Anthony Martial
EASILY Van Gaal’s best move as United boss — and not even just on the transfer market.
The Dutchman has got very little right during his time at Old Trafford, but splashing out £36m on the unknown Monaco striker despite criticism from all corners, saw him stick two fingers up at his detractors.
Martial burst onto the scene with superb clincher against Liverpool on his debut.
He followed it up with a brace against Southampton his next Prem appearance.
Hasn’t been as consistent as it has been made out, but having only turned 20 in December, that is to be expected.
Van Gaal’s persistence on playing him on the wing certainly hasn’t helped.
Martial’s potential could lead him to become one of the best on the planet.
8/10
Regan Poole
AT just 17, the Welsh kid could be one for the future.
Made his only United appearance in the 5-1 win over Midtjylland when he replaced Herrera in stoppage time.
N/A
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