MANCHESTER: Embattled Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal showed signs of cracking under pressure as he stormed out of a media briefing on Wednesday after becoming annoyed by questions about his future.

Van Gaal has reportedly been given two games to save his job after United’s miserable six-match winless run cost his side their place in the Champions League and saw them drop out of the Premier League’s top four.

Rumours have been rife this week that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss is about to be sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho, who was dismissed by Chelsea last Thursday.

Quizzed about the speculation by reporters ahead his weekly press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Stoke City, van Gaal quickly became irritated and it was less than five minutes before he decided he had had enough.

Refusing to take any more questions, the Dutchman walked out, saying as he passed a table of mince pies and wine that had been laid on for the media: “I wish you a merry Christmas and also maybe a happy new year when I see you. Enjoy the wine and a mince pie. Goodbye.”

Van Gaal only answered three questions from the broadcast media and then refused to take any questions from the written press.

It was clear the 64-year-old, who is only halfway through his three-year contract, was in an angry mood from the moment he took his seat in the media room at the club’s training ground in Carrington.

“Has anybody in this room not a feeling to apologise to me? That’s what I’m wondering,” he snapped after being asked about Arsene Wenger’s claim Van Gaal’s treatment had been “disrespectful”.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2015