Van Gaal doubts Man United have held talks with Mourinho

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 26: Manager Louis van Gaal of Manchester United and Manager Jose Mourinho of Chelsea embrace after the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on October 26, 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says he would be "disappointed" if the decision-makers at the club have held talks with Jose Mourinho about possibly replacing him.

And the Dutchman says he thinks executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward or the owning Glazer family would have informed him if any talks had occurred.

Having been sacked by Chelsea earlier this season, Mourinho has been strongly linked with United, who have endured a somewhat stuttering campaign and are currently fifth, six points off the Champions League places.

However, while Van Gaal concedes that in the cut-throat world of football it is not beyond belief that Mourinho has been approached, he remains hopeful that is not the case.

Asked how he would feel if there had been contact with Mourinho, Van Gaal said: "Then I shall be disappointed.

"In a football world that is possible, I know, but I do not think that. I have a relationship with Ed and the Glazers, they tell me, I think."

Van Gaal has steadied the ship of late after a disastrous run of results in December and thinks the mood at the club could improve dramatically if United can mount a charge into the Champions League places.

When it was suggested that an eventual fourth-place finish would qualify as a decent campaign, he said: "I think so, but that analysis has to be made by the board and maybe also by the media.

"I think that you have to always look at the circumstances, how you have to work, and I think this board is doing that.

"In two games you can be level with your competitor. That is the benefit of this system of three points."