Louis van Gaal says Robert Huth should face ban as hair-pulling is allowed 'only with sex' after Marouane Fellaini clash

Van Gaal defended Marouane Fellaini after he reacted to having his hair pulled by throwing an elbow at Huth

Louis van Gaal believes Robert Huth should be banned if Marouane Fellaini is (Getty)

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has declared that Leicester City’s Robert Huth must face a ban for pulling Marouane Fellaini’s hair, if the Belgian is disciplined by the Football Association for appearing to elbow the defender in the chin during the 1-1 draw which prevented Claudio Ranieri’s side becoming champions.

In a bizarre defence of his midfielder, who may now be hit with a three-game ban for violent misconduct which would end his Premier League season, Van Gaal said that swinging an elbow was a natural reaction to Huth’s hair-pulling, for which he claimed United should have been awarded a penalty.

“When you see what Huth is doing to Fellaini, that's a penalty. Shall I grab you by your hair?” Van Gaal said – doing so to a reporter. “Your hair is shorter than Fellaini but when I do that, what are you doing then? It's a reaction. Every human being who is grabbed by the hair, only with sex masochism, then it is allowed but not in other situations. They [Leicester] did it. They did it several times I think. Huth was the guy who grabbed the hair of Fellaini. I think the reaction of Fellaini is like a human being. He is always like that.”

Despite the colourful exposition of the merits of the situation, hair-pulling is a lesser offence and if referee Michael Oliver tells the FA in his match report that he did not see the Fellaini elbow, delivered to the underneath of Huth’s chin, then a retrospective ban is likely.

Van Gaal also admitted that the chances of his side securing a top four spot ahead of Manchester City were now slim, after a further two dropped points. “I have said [to my players] ‘you have to win every game we have [left] to play’ so now already we are not closing the gap,” he said. “It is dependable on City because Arsenal has won so that is a big gap for three matches. You can do it but it shall be very difficult.”

Marouane Fellaini appeared to elbow Robert Huth in the face (Getty)

The manager said that video replays were needed to rule on controversies like the 86th minute foul by Leicester’s Danny Drinkwater on United substitute Memphis Depay which saw the Englishman dismissed for a second yellow and the infringement ruled to be fractionally outside the box. Depay’s foot was on the line of the penalty area, entitling United to a penalty.

“Drinkwater makes the foul,” said Van Gaal. “But to see if it is in or out is very difficult so that is what I have already said for more than 20 or 30 years I am in this profession and we need the video because the referee cannot do it by themselves and I think he [Oliver] is one of the best referees in England. Difficult.”

United did start impressively – playing a high line because the absence of the suspended Jamie Vardy ensured there was less danger of them being outdone for pace. But they faded being the first 20 minutes and Van Gaal’s suggestion that this had been one of their best displays of the season lacked credibility.

“The start was unbelievably good,” he said. “The first 25 minutes was fantastic to see but then Leicester came more in the match. It is logical they are the future champion, not for nothing. They are very good; organised. They can play the ball. We have to work hard to regain it again. We did it. You see the last 10 minutes, they are very tired. We could have won it but it is not like that. Only the facts are counting, not the ifs.”