Everton vs. Manchester United: Louis van Gaal's Key Quotes from FA Cup Presser

Manchester United fans may have been shocked to hear manager Louis van Gaal say striker sensation Marcus Rashford "isn't ready" for the first team in the buildup to Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against Everton. Plus, the Red Devils boss suggested Timothy Fosu-Mensah could have a future in midfield.

Van Gaal was quizzed on whether the club's academy coaches deserved credit for helping develop so many young talents at Old Trafford, and Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News quoted the tactician:

According to Luckhurst, the Dutchman has given debuts to no fewer than 14 academy players during his time at the club, and he appeared more than happy to give himself a pat on the back for that show of "guts."

Van Gaal went on to illustrate that side of his management style has never wavered, using examples from his time with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, per United's official Twitter account:

Rashford has scored seven goals in 13 senior appearances for United and has been a revelation in the second half of the campaign, as has 18-year-old Fosu-Mensah, who moved to Old Trafford from Ajax in 2014.

The Netherlands under-19 international has been deployed largely at right-back so far this season and started in the FA Cup sixth-round win over West Ham United. However, when asked if the teenager could move into a more advanced role, Van Gaal appeared open to such a move, per the Mirror's Joe Mewis: 

"

It is dependable on vacancies in your squad. 

Players in my squad are playing in different positions than what they are used to in their former careers. When there is a vacancy and you think a young player has the quality to play there, you give him the chance and he takes it. You can ask Bastian Schweinsteiger who, at Bayern Munich, played on the right side. I made him a centre midfielder because I looked at his profile and I thought he can better play in the middle and he enjoys it more.

"

According to Mewis, Van Gaal also confirmed he has close to a fully fit squad for the Wembley clash against Everton, with only Luke Shaw, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Adnan Januzaj out of the running.

The United chief did have some words of praise for the under-fire Toffees manager Roberto Martinez, however, who is coming off the back of a 4-0 Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday: “What he is doing is the sign of a good manager because I believe in young players too. They are always a stimulus in the group and that is very important. I think also that you have to make a mix of older and younger players in your team.”

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Both managers have come in for criticism this season and remain very much under pressure to perform, but both Van Gaal and Martinez can look upon the FA Cup as a very winnable trophy to provide some hope.

Watford and Crystal Palace—whom United defeated 2-0 on Wednesday evening—clash in the other Wembley semi-final on Sunday, with this season's FA Cup a wide open race heading into the penultimate stage.