Louis van Gaal Hits Back over Empty Seats, Comments on Wayne Rooney Role

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has dismissed any suggestions his team's supporters are staying away from Old Trafford after an underwhelming campaign.

According to David Facey of the Sun, there were a lot of empty seats during United's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening. The Dutchman thinks the press are looking for issues when there aren’t any there, though. “I didn’t see a lot of empty seats—you have seen it because you want to see it,” he said, per Facey.

It’s noted that while the official attendance was reported as 75,277, a lot of United’s season-ticket holders opted to stay away from the midweek clash; those sales are counted toward the overall attendance even if the holder does not turn up.

James Ducker of the Telegraph tweeted there were a lot of supporters who stayed away from the game. Barney Chilton, editor of fanzine Red News, posted the following snap of some near him:

Granted, a midweek game is never easy for some supporters to get to, and a lot of United fans will be making the trip down south on Saturday for an FA Cup semi-final clash with Everton at Wembley Stadium. But for a club renowned for packing out its 76,000-capacity stadium, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the game, this isn’t a good sign.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Overall, it’s been an extremely disappointing campaign for United. The win over Palace kept the Red Devils in fifth place, one point behind Arsenal in fourth spot, though the Gunners have a game in hand. It makes UEFA Champions League football unlikely at Old Trafford next season, the second time in three seasons the club will be without elite-level European football.

Nevertheless, as Squawka wrote, the Red Devils' home record has been good lately:

One of the keys to United’s routine triumph over Palace was the performance of captain Wayne Rooney, who was deployed in the centre of midfield for the win. Van Gaal thinks it’s a role he can be utilised in more often, per Joe Bernstein of the Daily Mail:

"

Rooney again was the player who switched the play and I like that very much. No player has a fixed position, I use the players where I think they can give a higher contribution in a particular game. It was a midfield role tonight because of the way Crystal Palace were playing.

I don't want to change [Marcus] Rashford as a striker. We have to look for another position for Wayne. He [played in midfield] last year so it is not something new to me. I am very happy with the way he performed.

"

OLI SCARFF/Getty Images

Rooney is on the mend after some recent injury woes, and although he was in decent form at the point of the attack before he was sidelined, Van Gaal has found a new formula in advanced areas.

Indeed, Marcus Rashford has burst onto the scene in spectacular fashion; alongside Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, United have three players at the point of the attack who play with pace, purpose and a little bit of rawness too. Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones thinks that could pave the way for Rooney to drop deeper:

It’s tough to get away from the fact this has been another season of underachievement for United, but there are signs of some small shoots of recovery at the football club in the emergence of young stars. Still, should the Red Devils win the FA Cup and somehow force their way into the top four, it’d gloss over a lot of the failings of 2015-16.

Empty seats at Old Trafford is indicative of a fanbase that’s become a little apathetic toward the team’s plight. For supporters who are used to seeing their side push for titles, it seems as though conciliatory scraps further down the table just don’t cut the mustard.