Derby County head coach Paul Clement might rely on Carlo Ancelotti to help him defeat Manchester United. The Rams take on Louis van Gaal’s side in the FA Cup fourth round fixture late on Friday night, as Mancheter United travel to the iPro Stadium for a fixture crucial to the Red Devil’s season.
Speaking ahead of the match in his pre match press conference, Clement revealed the potential aid of former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti, saying “I'm in regular contact with Carlo. If I really need him I know he will be there for me.”
“Will I speak to him before this game? Yes, I think I will. He will tell me to work with the players, get close to the players and ignore everything else. He always used to say 'control what you are in control of.”
Clement worked under Ancelotti at Chelsea, where he won a FA Cup with the Italian having also worked with him at Paris St. Germain and Real Madrid. Ancelotti will be an excellent advisor on how to beat United, having defeated them in three out of four games in charge of Chelsea while also eliminating the Red Devils from the Champions League with AC Milan.
Louis van Gaal is right for Manchester United: Clement
Manchester United’s beleaguered boss, Louis van Gaal is the right man for the job according to Clement, with the Derby County manager opining that United did not make a mistake in appointing him, saying “I'm not sure they got the wrong man. I think he's well thought of, from a coach relatively new to this.
“Van Gaal, [Jose] Mourinho, [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Guus] Hiddink, [Pep] Guardiola, he's part of that group.
“When you look at the big clubs – Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, United – there are very few people who can do those jobs, and Van Gaal is absolutely on that list.”
Clement, is quite positive about Derby’s chances at a giant killing, despite the club’s winless streak, with Clement experiencing the pressure of the managerial role, having overseen a run of five games without a win, after Derby’s significant investment in the summer transfer window.
Speaking about the opportunity to turn things around, Clement said “I am not sure it will quite be a giant-killing if we get a good result. It is a challenge we are really looking forward to up against a team that is not in great form.”
Clement’s last took on Van Gaal as part of Real Madrid’s coaching staff in a pre-season friendly in the summer of 2014, as United beat the Spanish giants 3-1. The mood around Old Trafford was far more positive than it is now, as Louis van Gaal faces increased pressure following the Red Devils 1-0 loss to Southampton in the Premier League in their previous fixture.
