Thursday 24 December 2015 08:08, UK
Louis van Gaal asked for an apology as he accused the press of publishing false reports on his Manchester United future.
Van Gaal arrived for his weekly news conference and accused the assembled media of prematurely writing his Old Trafford obituary in the wake of three straight defeats and the sudden availability of Jose Mourinho.
The United manager made it clear he had shown up only because Premier League rules demanded it, ending five minutes of tense exchanges with a sarcastic: "Merry Christmas. Enjoy the wine and a mince pie. Goodbye."
And amid the recriminations there was a revelation that he had received phone calls from chief executive Ed Woodward, predecessor David Gill and even Sir Alex Ferguson over newspaper reports suggesting they were meeting to discuss his future.
Has anybody in this room not a feeling to apologise to me? That's what I am wondering. I think I was already sacked, I have read. Or have been sacked.
He said: "You have to stick by the facts, and when I get calls from Ed Woodward, Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill, because you are creating something that is not good, that is not the facts, and now I have to answer questions. I don't think I want to do it."
Van Gaal was asked initially for a reaction to comments from Arsene Wenger, who earlier in the day called speculation over the Dutchman's future "disrespectful".
He said: "Has anybody in this room not a feeling to apologise to me? That's what I am wondering. I think I was already sacked, I have read. Or have been sacked. Or that my colleague [Jose Mourinho] was here already.
"What do you think that happens with my wife or with my kids? Or with my grandchildren? Or with the fans of Manchester United? Or with my friends? What do you think? They have called me, a lot of times, and also Arsene Wenger is saying something about that.
"Do you think I want to talk with the media now? I am here only because of the Premier League rules. I have to talk with you. But I can only see that when I talk to you that you put it in your context."
United's run of six games without a win has left them out of the Champions League and nine points off the pace in the Premier League going into the Boxing Day game against Stoke.
Van Gaal said: "We are not in a good position, but four weeks ago we were in first place and in about four weeks we can again be in that position again."
