[FA Cup - semifinal] Everton 1-2 Manchester United

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VAN GAAL PUTS WEMBLEY PRIDE ON HOLD

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will lead the Reds out at Wembley for the first time on Saturday afternoon, for the Emirates FA Cup semi-final against Everton.

But, as he said in his MUTV interview and press conference on Thursday, his full pride in doing so is on hold – pending what he sees as the tough prospect of facing the Toffees.

"When I am a manager in the final, I will be proud," he said. "First we have to beat Everton – and that is always difficult in England.

"Their players shall also be very motivated to play the semi-final, because to play a final is always exceptional."

The form of the two teams going into the tie contrasts starkly, with Everton having failed to win any of their last six matches, and the Reds securing victories in five of theirs.

Most recently, on Wednesday night, the difference in current fortunes was illustrated by United’s 2-0 defeat of Crystal Palace and the Toffees’ four-goal Merseyside derby capitulation at Anfield. But van Gaal sets little store by such trends ahead of the semi-final meeting.

"We have also lost a lot of times before a big match, and then we survive again and we're alive again," he said. "I think a cup game is always a game in itself with special circumstances.

"We have shown that already this season when we lost against Arsenal – and the next match [coincidentally, at Everton] we won. And it was the same after Liverpool: we lost 2-0 [in the Europa League], then we drew with West Ham in the quarter-finals – and that was very important."

Van Gaal was also quick to praise the calibre of young players being brought on at Goodison Park by his opposite number Roberto Martinez.

"What he is doing is the sign of a good manager because I believe in young players too," the United boss said. "They are always a stimulus in the group and that is very important. I think also that you have to make a mix of older and younger players in your team."

The United boss boasts an excellent pedigree when it comes to winning knockout competitions in other European countries, having guided Ajax to the Dutch Cup in 1993, as well as securing Spain’s Copa del Rey with Barcelona (1998) and Germany’s DFB-Pokal with Bayern Munich (2010).

"As a manager you always have a fantastic memory when you win the cup," he said. "And I am a fortunate manager. I have won a cup in every country so far, and that is also my aim here. But it is not so easy, of course.

"I think the most special event was in Germany because they make a big event of it, but I think in England it shall be bigger than in Germany."

Referring further to the magic of the FA Cup, van Gaal recalled watching English finals on Dutch television as a boy, saying: "The only game that was on was the cup final, one Saturday in the year. And then, of course, because I was football-minded, I looked forward to the cup final, so it has a big memory for me.

"And now, in England, when I see the people on the streets, they are so excited, so you can feel that for the fans it is a fantastic competition."

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2016/Apr/Louis-van-Gaal-Manchester-United-Emirates-FA-Cup-2016-Everton-semi-final-Wembley.aspx