Van Gaal bemoans lack of penalty

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes that his side should have been awarded a penalty in their goalless draw with Manchester City on Sunday.

In a match with few clear-cut chances, it was United who came closest to breaking the deadlock, with Jesse Lingard hitting the bar late on, while City keeper Joe Hart was forced to save smartly from a Chris Smalling effort.

It was a failed penalty appeal that Van Gaal felt was his side's missed chance though, with the Red Devils' somewhat half-hearted calls for a second-half penalty when Ander Herrera and Raheem Sterling tangled in the box waved away by referee Mark Clattenburg.

"We don't have the luck," Van Gaal said after the match.

"I've seen on the video that Herrera should have had a penalty, but the referee did not give us the benefit because it was difficult to see.

"You can see clearly he [Sterling] didn't touch the ball and touched the legs of Herrera. But we are not having the luck this season.

"I can imagine it was difficult for the referee. It's not a big issue, it is not the first time but that is that."

Van Gaal cut a frustrated figure after the match, due to the "compact" manner in which a defensive City played, and his side's inability to break through their defences.

"You have seen that Manchester United has attacked. They [City] have the right to play compact and they have done it. It makes it difficult the way they played but we have to deal with it," he said.