Manchester United boss Louis VanGaal has slammed the persistent rumours that he will be replaced by Jose Mourinho at the helm of the Old Trafford dugout next season. 

An impressive mid-week win has relieved some of the pressure on on the Dutch manager and in an interview he blasted the speculation as 'an absolute scandal'.

“Every day I am preventing the players from being under pressure. Because every arrow is shot at me, not one at the players." he said when speaking to Dutch TV channel RTL7.

“It is all aimed at me. In a bizarre way this situation with me has an advantage for the players. I can see that they are not being criticized. Only me.

Van Gaal then addressed the Mourinho rumours directly, stating that, "he has said things a number of times with a lot of words.

"But he does not have to tell me anything. I find the whole thing ridiculous.

"No, I don’t want United to do something either. I don't even want them to react to things which I read in the media or which are being created. We, the club and I, are not going to help the media right now by denying things.

"I think what is happening is an absolute scandal."