Football under Jose Mourinho isn't always the most exciting but most Manchester United fans would surely think life is better under Mourinho than their previous two managers. Louis van Gaal though sees it another way and he's made an outlandish claim.
For Manchester United fans the landscape has changed a lot since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Where once second, even to this Manchester City side, would not have been accepted now they hang their hats on at least being ahead of Spurs and Liverpool.
In fairness with City just so damn good that's no criticism, it's just fact really. Things could be a lot worse of course, under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal they struggled to finish in the top four.
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Would a team of United flops be managed by Moyes or LvG?
The football isn't always great under Mourinho but he does have two, or three, trophies, got United to the knockout stages of the Champions League and has them in second, a collection of accolades neither David Moyes or Louis van Gaal could claim whilst neither played good football anyway.
However despite the fact that life under Van Gaal wasn't exciting, other than his press conferences, the Dutchman has rewritten history, or possibly the future. Talking to Bild, via the Manchester Evening News, LvG claimed he'd have got United playing like City are now, saying:
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"Pep Guardiola is for me currently the best coach of the Premier League. Pep has made City a machine. He shows the style of football that I would have liked to play at Manchester United.
"But he has better players for it. For me, the process would have taken longer. Unfortunately, I did not get the time."
It's interesting that Van Gaal blames both the players and the amount of time. Of course Van Gaal didn't sign Angel di Maria for a then club record fee and play him up front, nor did Pep Guardiola only have one season, where they still played attractive football, before this season's dominance.
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United were atrocious under Van Gaal with a period at the end of his first season in charge when they beat City, Spurs and Liverpool at home to help qualify for the next season's Champions League being the only saving grace.
By the time the Red Devils beat Crystal Palace in the cup final, and the former two time Champions League winner was sacked the same day, the team were playing rubbish football.
Mourinho's brand might not be that exciting but at least they're second.
Topics: Manchester City, Football News, Louis van Gaal, Manchester United, Premier League