Louis van Gaal: Manchester United manager does not know if he will be in charge next season

United are six points shy of fourth-placed Manchester City with 13 matches of the season remaining

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (Getty Images)

Louis van Gaal does not know whether he will be at Manchester United next season if he fails to qualify for the Champions League.

United are six points shy of fourth-placed Manchester City with 13 matches of the season remaining.

When asked whether failure to make the top four or qualify for the Champions League via the Europa League would cost him his job, the United manager said: "It's not a question for me, it's a question for the board of Manchester United, you have to put it to them.

"I have a contract for three years and you know that."

Meanwhile, Van Gaal will be without eight first-team players for Manchester United's game at Sunderland.

Long-term absentees Luke Shaw (leg), Marcos Rojo (shoulder), Antonio Valencia (foot), Bastian Schweinsteiger (knee) and Ashley Young (groin) remain sidelined while Phil Jones, Adnan Januzaj and Guillermo Varela all came off with unspecified injuries in the under-21s' 7-0 win over Norwich on Monday.

Striker Will Keane has been rewarded for his five-goal haul against the Canaries with a place in the matchday squad for Saturday's fixture at the Stadium of Light.

PA.