Manchester United vs. West Brom: Key Louis Van Gaal Comments at Pregame Presser

Ahead of Saturday's important Premier League clash with West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal had plenty to say about his club's form as well as the health of some key players.  

The Red Devils enter their 35th match of the season in fourth place with 65 points, but they trail both Manchester City and Arsenal by just two points. Chelsea are out of reach with 80 points; however, Van Gaal is encouraged about United's future.

According to the club's official Twitter account, the Dutch manager believes Manchester United are very close to joining the Premier League's upper echelon:

Per Chris Winterburn of Metro Sport, Van Gaal feels good about his team's chances of winning a Premier League title within the three-year window specified by the board of directors:

In order to make that a reality, the 63-year-old manager feels a better balance in the starting lineup is paramount:

With that said, Van Gaal is encouraged since the Red Devils have been on a similar pace to the Blues, aside from some early-season struggles:

Finishing second in 2014-15 would be a big step in the right direction, and a home victory against West Brom at Old Trafford may be a necessity in terms of accomplishing that goal.

Luckily for Van Gaal, he will have star forward Wayne Rooney at his disposal after nursing a knee injury, according to Ben Dinnery of ESPN FC:

In addition to Rooney, defender Phil Jones and forward Robin van Persie are also good to go:

Two players who will not be available Saturday, though, are defenders Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans:

Also, vice-captain Michael Carrick will be unable to play against the Baggies:

Van Gaal will likely have to get creative with his squad on Saturday as so many players shuffle in and out of the lineup due to injury, but he definitely has enough healthy talent to put together a squad capable of beating West Brom at home.

Second place is never the goal for United and their fans, but reaching that level would be a significant accomplishment considering their disappointing, seventh-place finish last year.

Van Gaal has been a huge part of the Red Devils' resurgence, and winning a match that they should against the Baggies would be another sign that they are ready to join Chelsea at the top of the table in the near future.

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