Rafael Running out of Time to Earn Place in Louis Van Gaal's Plans at Man Utd

Two years ago this week, Rafael was scoring a 25-yard screamer at QPR to keep Manchester United on course to wrestle the Premier League title back from Manchester City.

The trip to Loftus Road in February 2013 should have been one of the more uncomfortable games of United's run-in. But Rafael's rising drive into the top corner of Julio Cesar's net saw to that. United won, 2-0, and lifted the title three months later.

Pablo Zabaleta was voted the Premier League's best right-back that season. But it could have quite easily been Rafael. He would have deserved his place in the same team as Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard, Robin van Persie and Luis Suarez.

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United have got another difficult away game at Swansea on Saturday. But far from getting the chance to be the hero, Rafael might not even be in the squad. There's a good chance he won't even travel.

It's starting to look like Louis van Gaal just doesn't fancy him. He's suffered two groin injuries and a fractured cheekbone since the summer. 

Fit again, he's started the last three under-21 games. But he hasn't started in the Premier League since the 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford on October 26.

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In the meantime, Antonio Valencia, a midfielder, and Paddy McNair, a centre-back, have shared the duties at right-back. Van Gaal even told the club's website McNair could be United's right-back for "the next 10 years." It's not what Rafael, still only 24 and the only recognised right-back in the squad, will have wanted to hear:

"

Paddy McNair has developed himself very well, not only as a central defender but now we are giving him the chance to develop as a full-back and he did it very well.

He has done it already in the second team [Under-21s] and has done it now at a higher level in the first-team. Maybe he shall be the right full-back of Manchester United for the next 10 years, you never know. He has the chance.

"

Van Gaal's rebuild isn't finished. And if Rafael can't get back into the team before the end of the season, he'll have reason to fear for his future. The Brazilian is popular at Old Trafford. But then so were Danny Welbeck, Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez.

Rafael isn't just fighting for his place in Van Gaal's team. He's fighting for a place in the Dutchman's plans. And time is running out. That goal at QPR feels like an awfully long time ago.