Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal admits his side are at their best when not in possession

Manchester United beat Club Bruges 3-1 in the first leg of their play-off
Louis van Gaal believes the game is his most important as United boss
Dutchman admits his side’s ‘defensive organisation’ has pleased him most
United have kept clean sheets in their first three Premier League games
Midfielder Marouane Fellaini will play more as a No 9 or No 10 this season
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Published:
18:25 GMT, 25 August 2015

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Updated:
18:47 GMT, 25 August 2015

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Louis van Gaal has admitted that his Manchester United team are currently at their best when they don’t have the ball.

The United manager is preparing for what he believes is the most important game of his Old Trafford tenure as his team look to progress to the group stages of the Champions League against Club Bruges on Wednesday night.

Having won the first leg 3-1 last week, United are heavy favourites to go through against opponents missing as many as eight regular first team players.

Wayne Rooney laughs during training as Manchester prepare to take on Club Bruges on Wednesday night

Morgan Schneiderlin, Marouane Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj warm up at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Memphis Depay could both play some part against Club Bruges on Wednesday

Louis van Gaal, pictured alongside Fellaini, admits his side are currently at their best without the ball

United, however, continue to be criticised for the style of their football with former midfielder Paul Scholes saying there was ‘nothing fantastic’ about the way Van Gaal’s team played against Newcastle in the Barclays Premier League at the weekend.

Asked at his team’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday night what had pleased him most about his team this season, Van Gaal said: ‘Until now, of course, our defensive organisation.

‘I divide football in to four main moments and we have two moments where the opponent has the ball and then we are at our best, I think.

‘We proved that last year and now we are continuing with a lot of clean sheets so that is very important.

‘But we have to improve when we have the ball.

‘We have been a little bit unlucky. Liverpool and Arsenal was 0-0 on Monday but you can’t say they didn’t create anything.

Sergio Romero is expected to keep his place in goal after David de Gea was left at home for the trip to Belgium

Rooney and Depay stretch their legs as United get ready to try and make the Champions League group stage

Manchester United go into Wednesday’s game with a 3-1 lead after victory at Old Trafford in the first leg

POSSIBLE TEAMS

Club Bruges (4-1-3-2): S Bruzzese, D Cools, D De fauw, O Duarte, L De Bock, T Simons, R Vormer, V Vazquez, B Bolingoli Mbombo, T Dierckx, A Diaby

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Carrick, Mata, Fellaini, Young, Rooney

‘Yes, [this is our most important match]. It’s been our aim for more than a year to be in the Champions League and still we are not yet participating.

‘It’s very important. We have to play the game and finish with more goals than our opponents. Then we will be in it.’

Last Tuesday’s first leg was only settled when Marouane Fellaini headed in a late goal in injury time.

The big Belgian sat next to his manager with both ankles heavily strapped here on Tuesday night but may well start Wednesday’s game.

Van Gaal, meanwhile, revealed that the former Everton player will feature more as a forward than a holding midfielder this season.

Van Gaal said: ‘Marouane can play nine or ten and can also play six or eight.

Van Gaal has admitted that Wednesday’s game is the most important of his Old Trafford career so far

Luke Shaw and Ashley Young share a joke in training as United get put through their paces in Bruges

Rooney will continue his search for a goal against Club Bruges after failing to score so far this season

‘But this year he will play more at ten and nine as we have other players who play further back.

‘I don’t think my players will take it easy in this game. We have the same preparation.

‘Yes, the last goal last week was important. Now we can start this game with more confidence.

‘We should have finished it much earlier than we did last week.’

United travelled with a party of just 18 players on Tuesday. Central defender Marcos Rojo is still not match fit and he and players such as goalkeeper David de Gea – left behind on this trip – are not being helped by the fact United’s Under 21 team – used for senior players to gain match fitness – do not currently have a game for a month.

Van Gaal said on Tuesday night that this was a problem and added that Rojo will play in a specially arranged game with a young Ajax team at Carrington on Thursday.

‘The only way to fitness is to play games in the second team,’ said Van Gaal.