Manchester United vs. Sunderland: Key Comments from Louis van Gaal's Presser

Louis van Gaal has suggested Radamel Falcao isn't guaranteed to start for Manchester United, despite confirmation of Robin van Persie's absence from a portion of the club's Premier League run-in.

Van Gaal spoke in the pre-match press conference ahead of his side's Saturday fixture against Sunderland. As tweeted by the Red Devils' official Twitter account, RvP's latest injury problem appears fairly serious:

Even so, Van Gaal refused to confirm Falcao would start the upcoming encounter, per the Manchester Evening News' United-specific feed:

David McDonnell of the Mirror provided LvG's quotes from the presser: "The possibility (of Falcao starting) is higher of course, because Falcao is a striker and another striker has to play now. But you will have to see. I never give you any openings (information on who is in the starting line-up)."

Wayne Rooney could return to his natural striker's role, or youngster James Wilson may be used after overcoming a dead leg, per Adam Marshall and Gemma Thompson of United's official website.

Van Gaal's willingness to chop and change has left many supporters confused over which formation and players he prefers. The boss forced a 3-5-2 formation on the team to begin with, before opting for slight variations of 4-1-2-1-2 in recent weeks. B/R UK's Ryan Bailey and Sam Tighe suggested another formation should be looked at in the current scenario:

Falcao's displays continue to disappoint. The Colombian has scored four in 19 appearances across the Premier League and FA Cup, per WhoScored. He appears to be lacking in strength, often finding himself muscled off the ball and pushed around by the nearest centre-back, something he hasn't previously suffered with.

While a lack of creative players may influence Falcao's inability to find space, his unwillingness to break beyond the defence continues to limit United's chances. Van Persie has also struggled with this, often playing with his back to goal in a frustrating set-up.

Michael Regan/Getty Images

Falcao's current output most likely hasn't been enough for United to consider turning his loan move from Monaco into permanent switch. However, football writer Sam Pilger believes Van Persie's woes provide him a last attempt to make a positive impression:

United's recent loss to Swansea City was only their second in 15 Premier League matches, but they remain just one point clear in fourth. Liverpool's excellent return to form—they haven't lost inside 90 minutes in the league since United defeated them in December—ensures Brendan Rodgers' team continue to apply pressure.

Van Gaal is pleased with the current points haul of 47, but wants to see his players improve their performances, per the MEN:

Failure to beat Sunderland would place the club's Champions League ambitions in major jeopardy. United face Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton and Arsenal in their final 12 matches, a season-defining run if ever there was one.

Falcao now has the opportunity to fire United toward Europe's elite and himself toward a permanent contract. If Van Gaal provides him the chance, of course.