Injuries the Biggest Threat to Manchester United's Champions League Ambitions

Louis van Gaal would be forgiven for watching the remaining internationals this week through gaps in his fingers.

He packed his players off to different corners of the world after the win over Crystal Palace hoping that by the time they got back, his injury problems would have started to clear. But it hasn't worked out like that.

Michael Carrick, David de Gea and Daley Blind have added their names to a list that already included Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Marcos Rojo, Rafael and Radamel Falcao. It's left Van Gaal facing the prospect of fielding a makeshift XI against Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday.

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Since his arrival at Old Trafford in the summer, Van Gaal has asked for time—time to embed his "philosophy" into his players and to train them "in the brain as well as the legs," as he likes to put it.

But four months into his reign, the biggest problem he has is the injury list. It's prevented him from fielding anything like his best XI. There's been no consistency in his team selections and, as a result, no consistency in results.

Van Gaal has been forced to use 12 different centre-back combinations in just 11 Premier League games so far this season. It's likely to become 13 in 12 at the Emirates on Saturday.

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Even with a soft centre and a shaky back four, United's squad is still one of the best in the league. With Angel Di Maria, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Falcao and Juan Mata, how can it not be?

But Van Gaal hasn't managed to get his best players on the pitch at the same time. With Rojo and Blind facing weeks rather than days on the sidelines, it might be a while before he's afforded that luxury.

Three of United's next five games are against Arsenal, Southampton and Liverpool. It should have been a chance to see how Van Gaal's team measure up against the other Champions League contenders. Instead, it looks like it will turn into another exercise in forcing square pegs into round holes.

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United face plenty of obstacles if they hope to qualify for next season's Champions League. A new manager is trying to get new ideas across to his players while six new signings try to adapt to a new club and, in some cases, a new country.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Southampton, Tottenham and Everton all have designs on the top four as well. But the biggest threat to United's chances of qualifying for the Champions League is a growing injury list.

It's one thing having players capable of finishing in the top four. It's entirely another, it would seem, to get them all fit.

Quotes obtained first-hand.