Van Gaal promises to play strongest side

LOUIS VAN GAAL has promised to play his strongest available Manchester United side at the KC Stadium on Sunday in a game that could see Hull relegated from the Premier League.

Skipper Wayne Rooney returns from injury to start for United and Van Gaal is still waiting to see whether David de Gea will be fit, otherwise Victor Valdes is set to replace his fellow Spaniard.

Van Gaal told MUTV: “We have the same approach as ever. We have to give our utmost best. We have to do that for the honesty of the league.

“I have to play my strongest team because we have to give everything for all the other Premier League clubs and especially Newcastle.

“We have won six points off Newcastle and we have to win six points off Hull, I think.”

Hull must win and hope Newcastle don’t pick up three points at home to West Ham to survive, with bookmakers expecting the Tigers to drop.

Newcastle can be backed at 5-1 for relegation and Hull are 1-6.

Hammers boss and former Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has dismissed newspaper claims that he has given his players a lengthy period of no training in the lead up to the trip to Tyneside.

“The lads have had a few days off, but not five,” said Big Sam, who will see his future decided at a board meeting on Monday.

Allardyce will be on holiday in Spain at the time with many predicting he will be released from his contract and Slaven Bilic is seen as the bookmakers’ favourite to take over at Upton Park.