Louis van Gaal admitted that his Manchester United side borrowed the very trick FC Midtjylland used against them to score the second goal against Shrewsbury Town last night. Juan Mata scored United's second goal of the night with an incredibly well executed free kick but the goal shouldn't have stood given three players were behind Shrewsbury's last defender.
Anthony Martial, Ander Herrera and Jesse Lingard all sprinted back to the group of players just as Mata lifted the ball. The goal was given even as the three players who ran back appeared to block to goalkeeper's line of sight.
Speaking on BT Sport after the game, the Dutchman revealed: "We have learnt because we have analysed Midjytlland. And we have seen that they are doing that and we think it is always offside."
"We have asked the referees, at the time the Portuguese referees, and they are saying no, there's no offside you can do that.
"That's why we have learned off Midjytlland the taking of the free-kicks and today we scored, and that's good I think."
Manchester United went on to win the game 3-0 with goals from Chris Smalling, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard. With a Europa League game on the horizon this Thursday and a mammoth Premier League game against Arsenal in the weekend, Louis van Gaal is struggling with the amount of injuries.
Will Keane walked off the pitch last night with Louis van Gaal also revealing that Cameron Borthwick-Jackson had picked up a knock during the game. With David de Gea already out as is a plethora of United players, their fixture congestion could have come at a better time.
United now host FC Midtjylland at Old Trafford on Thursday night. With an away goal already in their pockets, all United have to do is score once and sit back.
