Manchester United vs. Bournemouth: Louis van Gaal's Key Pre-Match Presser Quotes

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has lamented his team’s lack of ruthlessness heading into the final game of the Premier League season against AFC Bournemouth.

Speaking to the assembled press on Friday, the Red Devils boss was asked about his players lacking a clinical edge after they failed to hang on to a 2-1 lead against West Ham United on Tuesday, eventually losing 3-2, and Van Gaal agreed with the reporter’s assessment.

"Yes, I have said that many times so you are right," he said, per Jack Lang of the Daily Mirror.

"We train to overcome this problem, training in the situations that are ahead and that you have to make the pitch big and keep the ball better. When you make the pitch big the opponent has to run more metres and it is easier to do that."

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The loss means United go into their final game of the season, on Sunday against the Cherries, needing favours if they’re to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Indeed, the Red Devils not only need to win their game but hope Swansea City can pick up three points against Manchester City at the Liberty Stadium on the final day of the campaign.

Despite the importance of the clash, Van Gaal insisted he’d have no issues if the Welsh outfit opted to rest a few players, per Rob Dawson of the Manchester Evening News:

"It is the responsibility of the manager to do what he thinks is right for the team and I cannot judge that," he added, per the club’s official website. "My task is the same."

The 64-year-old was also quizzed about how missing out on the Champions League could impact on the club’s transfer policy this summer. It would be the second season in three in which the Red Devils have not competed in European football’s elite competition.

However, he wouldn’t be drawn on the implications in pursuit of players, per the official website:

"

You cannot say that, you can only say it afterwards. Last year we were also in that situation and at the end we qualified. Still there were players that I wanted that we did not purchase because you are dependable on a lot of circumstances. I cannot discuss that with you as it is a question for the board and the manager.

"

He did offer a glimpse into the kind of footballer United will be chasing after missing out on Benfica's Renato Sanches to Bayern Munich, per BBC Sport’s Simon Stone:

The United boss was also asked about the future of Michael Carrick, whose contract will run out this summer. Again, per Dawson, Van Gaal was giving little away:

He also confirmed left-back Luke Shaw will not play a part in the final two games, as he’s yet to fully recover from his long-term layoff.

"I have always said to Luke that he can play in the [FA Cup] final to keep his motivation high, but now I cannot say that anymore because we are in the final," admitted the Dutchman, per Lang. "He is coming back, but he is coming back next season."

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There has been plenty of speculation surrounding Van Gaal in 2015-16, with strong suggestions that Jose Mourinho could take over next season, per Sky Italia (h/t Mark Critchley of the Independent). However, when asked for his take on this campaign as a whole, Van Gaal stated he was already thinking about next year.

"It is always the same, you have to evaluate yourself and also the staff and the players," the manager said, per the official website.

"Then you have to communicate with them and listen to each other. This shall also be done next season. The principles are always the same, except when one of my players, staff or board members can convince me of other arguments."

Van Gaal also has the FA Cup final to look forward to on May 21, and while there are many who view these matches as possibly the Dutchman’s last two in charge, the sense from the man himself is that he’ll be in the Old Trafford dugout come Day 1 of the 2016-17 season.

The lack of ruthlessness Van Gaal touched upon has been a common theme throughout the campaign for United and ultimately looks set to cost them a shot at European club football’s elite next term. For many associated with the club, even success at Wembley later this month wouldn’t offset that divisional underachievement.