Louis van Gaal latest: 'I shall not resign' as manager of Manchester United after Chelsea draw

Under-fire Manchester United manager defiant after draw against Chelsea that extends winless run to eight games

Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford (GETTY IMAGES)

Louis van Gaal insisted he would fight on as Manchester United manager and not consider resigning after seeing his team extend their winless run to eight games with a 0-0 draw against Chelsea at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal, under mounting pressure after United suffered a fourth successive defeat in all competitions at Stoke City on Boxing Day, has been urged to battle through the team’s current difficulties by the club’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward.

And with United dominating against the struggling champions, Van Gaal issued a defiant riposte to fans and media who have called for him to be sacked

“I cannot have any influence on that,” Van Gaal said. “I can only work with my players and you have seen that my players are fighting for me and they have given a good performance. When the players can give such a performance under this pressure, then it is not any reason to resign for me.

“Maybe the media wants that but I shall not do that. It’s not a question of staying, it is a question of fulfilling my contract.

“Even after this result, the fans were applauding, so I cannot say that I am very concerned, but in this football world, you never know. But I have full confidence in the board and my players.

United face Swansea City at home on Saturday, aiming to win for the first time since 21 November, but Van Gaal claimed that his team had been denied victory by referee Martin Atkinson rejecting two penalty appeals.

“We hit the post twice when the keeper was beaten, then had a big chance in the second half and two penalty cases – one handball, one a foul on Mata – but didn’t receive a penalty,” Van Gaal said.

“We were the dominant team, we created chances, we shot on goal and only gave three chances away. Against a team like Chelsea, with such attackers, that’s not bad.”

Guus Hiddink, Chelsea’s interim manager, insisted his side are locked in a relegation battle after the draw left them three points above the bottom three of the Premier League.

“Of course, I am worried,” he said. “But I would have been more worried if there was a lack of confidence or a lack of ambition.”