Had no talks with Mourinho: Van Gaal

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal on Sunday said he has had no talks with Jose Mourinho amid reports that the Portuguese is set to replace him at the club.

United suffered a shock defeat 1-2 against Sunderland in an English Premier League (EPL) match on Saturday and thus failed to close in on title contenders Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspurs and Arsenal.

Some days ago, there were reports in the English media that suggested that the club officials had held meetings with Mourinho. But van Gaal said he would not reach out to the former Chelsea coach himself.

"I wouldn't expect Jose Mourinho to call me about that," van Gaal was quoted as saying by goal.com.

"No. In the football world that doesn't happen. Nor will I ring him. If I did, then you think the stories are right and it is not like that. I am not thinking like that," he said.

The Dutchman had said before the game on Saturday that he expects the United management to tell him if something is going on adding that he shared a healthy relationship with the owners. But after the defeat, van Gaal decided to backtrack on that claim.

"In the past, I was chairman of the coaches federation in the Netherlands and we had a rule that you can never talk with a club without informing the present manager," he said.

"But in football it's not usual that you speak with other managers like that. It wasn't a good rule, no!

"Sometimes it has been broken by people and by managers. It is always like that. It is not always an honest world," he added.