Louis van Gaal has admitted he is wary of the threat of "nasty" Jamie Vardy for Manchester United's visit to Leicester City in Saturday's top-of-the-table match.
United are second on 27 points, one behind the Foxes, and lost 5-3 in the corresponding fixture last season. Vardy, who has scored in 10 consecutive Premier League games to equal Ruud van Nistelroy’s record, registered in the victory last year and also won his team a penalty.
Van Gaal said: "He was already last season a very nasty player for us. He scored, won a penalty, and now he is scoring 10 games in a row. I only know Dennis Bergkamp as a player who did the same with Ajax. It's not so easy to do that."
Claudio Ranieri has backed Vardy to respond to the pressure. "I think it's good Jamie has this – maybe all his team-mates will try to help him. But the main idea is the team. After there is Jamie, there is me and everybody – the team," the Leicester manager said. "I hope for him and the fans he gets the record – but sooner or later someone will break the record. I hope for Jamie he does it."
Manchester City could regain top spot at home to Southampton before Leicester and United’s teatime kick-off but Van Gaal is aware that Ranieri’s side could sustain their challenge to claim the title. “Normally this kind of club can be a long time competing, but at the end it is more difficult,” the 64-year-old said. “But in England, because of the quality of the teams, because every team has the money to buy players, the difference in the Premier League between clubs is not so high.”
United, who drew 0-0 at home to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, are continuing to draw criticism from supporters because of the safe style of play under Van Gaal. The manager said their view is important. “Of course, because the fans have to be happy, you are playing for the fans so you cannot deny that,” he said. “But also you have to see how our opponents are playing against us, and when you see how they play, you know the difficulty of organising against that type of opponent.
“We are still not lucky in finishing the chances. We are creating chances, and when we are not creating, then maybe I am worried. But we are not giving much away. That is why we are second in the league and in our Champions League group.”
United lost at Leicester in September last year after being 3-1 up, conceding four times in 22 second-half minutes. “I think that our defensive organisation is normally the best part of our game and after the match against Leicester, we are proving that we have very good defensive organisation and we have proved that this season more than ever,” the manager said.
Ranieri feels the Dutchman will get it right given time. “Van Gaal has played [MANAGED]a lot of fantastic teams, I remember I watched his training sessions at Ajax long time ago when we were young. I remember playing him at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He is a fantastic manager. My respect for him is very big.
“Slowly, slowly they are getting better, building, he’ll get it right. Look at difference from last season, they are improving all time. His defensive line is fantastic, it is very difficult to break their lines.”
(Guardian service)
