The Manchester United boss risked undermining a number of his players, including Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick, by suggesting his squad lacked title-winning experience
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal risked undermining the achievements of his own players after erroneously claiming they have little title-winning experience.
The Dutchman argued that much of his squad was "not used to being champions" ahead of their clash against Leicester City, with the Foxes on the verge of Premier League glory.
Van Gaal suggested that David de Gea - who won the title in 2012-13 - had never been a league winner and also underestimated the medals won by five-time champions Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick.
"The players who are now playing, they are not used to being champions," the coach told reporters.
"I don't think Matteo Darmian is used to being a champion and David de Gea was never champion, so I don't agree with the way you make the question."
He added: "Memphis Depay was a champion last year [with PSV] so not many players... Rooney, Carrick, they have been the champions once, or maybe more than once.
“But you have to see always the situation of where the club is, and we have seen that we are in a transitional period, and when I was mentioned as the coach, it was also about that we discussed."


Van Gaal went on to point out the age imbalance of the squad he inherited when he joined the club in 2014 and insisted a period of transition was inevitable.
"When I took over we had more than five or six players above 32 or 33, and then you have to select and buy other players, and there were not too many young players any more in the selection.
"So it is a process of transition, and now we are fighting for the qualification for the Champions League and we are still in the FA Cup, so we have to fight for something and we shall do it and hopefully we can beat Leicester."

Idiot. I'm a ManU supporter, but the guy js clearly an idiot. He sold Chicharito and gave Januzaj on loan and paid 27m for Depay who he is not using and put for sale. He underuses Rooney costing him his place in England national team, but hey it's not the coaches fault, it's the players' lack of experience. IDIOT