Louis van Gaal to hold talks with Radamel Falcao after Southampton omission

Louis van Gaal will explain his decision to omit Radamel Falcao from the squad that lost 1-0 to Southampton on Sunday in a meeting with the Colombian striker on Monday. It was a peculiar decision, made to look even sillier when the inconsistent (read: usually extremely average) Robin van Persie left the field with an ankle injury.

Quoted in the Times (£), when asked whether the decision had been discussed with Falcao, van Gaal replied:

"No, because it was after the training session, and then we go away with the bus. Because I decided after the last training session [to omit him], I think we shall talk tomorrow."

Van Gaal has explained that Falcao's omission was purely tactical, and was made with two factors in mind. The most pressing was the need for cover for the unfit Luke Shaw and Daley Blind; the most damning was that James Wilson offered more pace in the attack.