Manchester United's Louis Van Gaal tells Marouane Fellaini to control himself

Old Trafford manager does, though, have sympathy with his midfielder 

Matt Gatward
Thursday 05 May 2016 22:57 BST
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Marouane Fellaini has been banned for three matches
Marouane Fellaini has been banned for three matches

Louis van Gaal has told Marouane Fellaini he has to control his aggressive side during matches - but also admits he has sympathy for his combative Belgian midfielder.

Fellaini will miss Manchester United's last three league matches - but will be available for the FA Cup final - as the club attempt to finish in the top four and earn Champions League football next season after being banned by the Football Association today following his bout of fisticuffs with Robert Huth of Leicester City on Sunday. The German defender pulled the midfielder's hair and Fellaini reacted by elbowing Huth. Huth has also been banned for three matches.

Van Gaal today said he could understand Fellaini's reaction - but did not condone it. "Yes, we don’t appeal because I have said already that the reaction of Fellaini is like a human being," the manager said. "When the FA gives [Huth] a suspension of three matches they admitted that it [should have been a] penalty to us. So for us it is very disappointing that the referee was not seeing it. I still believe that Fellaini makes a reaction like a human being. But he has to control himself better, that is true. When you grab somebody by his hair always this situation will exist."

United play Norwich City on Saturday and the match will raise the memory of the December Old Trafford game when the visitors beat United 2-1 when Van Gaal's side were on a shocking run. The manager believes injuries played a part though. "The month of December was damaging - but there are reasons for that," Van Gaal said. "When the injuries are so much in the same position, you cannot solve every problem anymore.

"At the end of November we had first position, after that we had a big decline. These are the facts. Also the injuries are a fact. But you can never tell that if we didn’t have so many injuries that we would be first, because I have great respect for the champions Leicester City. They deserve it. When I say we had injuries it’s not respectful to the champions, and they deserve it."

United have two away games - at Norwich on Saturday and West Ham next week - and Van Gaal admits their form on the road has been an issue. "We have to win three games in a row, two away games. We don’t win too many away games. We are second best in home wins after Leicester and 10th in away matches. When we want to be a champion we have to improve in the away matches, and win first away against Norwich and then West Ham United.

"It’s always difficult to fight against a team that fights relegation," Van Gaal added of Norwich. "That’s always very difficult to fight against, but that is not an excuse. We have to cope with that. They have won at Old Trafford so we have to take revenge also. It shall be a very tough game but in spite of that we have to win."

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