Louis van Gaal Told to Quit Moaning About Fixtures by Mauricio Pochettino

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has told Manchester United counterpart Louis van Gaal to cease his moaning about the congested winter schedule.

Following Sunday's 0-0 stalemate between the two sides, the Spurs boss reasserted that all teams play under the same conditions and insisted Van Gaal should stop complaining, per Matthew Dunn of the Express:

"

The condition was the same for both teams. We never complain about when the opponent has the same condition as you. For Tottenham, from the beginning of the season, is the team that has had less recovery days in every competition. I never complain about that. I think Manchester had the same hours to recover as us. We showed we are more solid as a team.

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Pochettino's comments come after Van Gaal was quoted by Dunn as describing the 0-0 result as a "struggle for life," having named the same Manchester United starting XI in back-to-back fixtures for the first time in 85 Premier League games.

Each manager held a different reaction to the final result. Ben McAleer of WhoScored.com quoted Van Gaal's displeasure over the stacked workload, whereas Pochettino was more content:

Manchester United's fixture list would be even busier had the club managed to qualify for European competition this term, although the squad has been able to compete more fiercely in domestic matters as a result.

One might interpret Van Gaal's starting XI consistency as an improvement for the squad, but Dunn quotes the Red Devils chief saying that it was more due to a lack of options:

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

"They were tired and we had to play twice in 48 hours and the body is not recovered. I don't have possibility to change because we don't have the most fit players in the world."

Pochettino may well walk away from the game as the more satisfied of the two helmsmen, having seen Hugo Lloris repel a clutch of United chances to fend off a team sitting third in the table, unbeaten in their last nine games.

Spurs are on an improved run of form too, and they are currently enjoying their longest unbeaten streak of the 2014-15 campaign, winning three and drawing two of their last five Premier League outings.

Only five points separate the north Londoners, seventh, from their Sunday opponents, but Van Gaal's frustration is understandable after another missed opportunity to gain ground in the title race. 

Per the official Premier League Twitter account, the Dutchman remarked on United's missed chances during the first half in particular:

The schedule doesn't relent for Van Gaal anytime soon, either, as his side prepare for a New Year's Day fixture away to Stoke City before travelling to face Yeovil Town in the FA Cup just three days later.

Having been used to more relaxed schedules in Spain and Germany, Van Gaal is still struggling to accept the English football calendar, but Pochettino isn't among those likely to give the veteran any sympathy.