LONDON - Theres a simple way of measuring if there has been any progress at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal: the Premier League position and the points tally.After Sundays 1-0 loss to Southampton, with United on 37 points after 21 games, it was inevitable comparisons would be drawn with Van Gaals predecessor. After 21 games, David Moyes had also collected 37 points.So after a year of turmoil, despite more than $250 million spent revamping the squad, United has made no progress?You have been waiting for the moment to tell me I have the same points as David Moyes, Van Gaal snapped after Sundays loss.The Dutchmans irritability is partly justified.The priority is restoring United to the Champions League, ensuring this is a one-off season jettisoned from Europes elite competition. So with United in fourth place, Van Gaal is on target (even if Uniteds budget projections are for a third-place finish).For Moyes, 37 points was only adequate for seventh place during a season when he only spent the first week in the top four. And the downfall for Alex Fergusons anointed successor was United only collecting 20 points from the next 13 matches.On paper, United has the attacking potency to avoid such a slump in the second half of the season, without the distraction of European football.But the so-called Gaalacticos arent always living up to their star billing or mega salaries. It was risible that a team featuring Angel di Maria, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney couldnt manage a shot on target, albeit against a Southampton team that has defied expectations to rise to third — above United on Sunday — with the leagues stingiest defence.They came for a draw, I believe, and they go away with a victory, Van Gaal said. That is disappointing.United, though, expected it was hiring a manager with the tactical acumen to come up with a Plan B to outwit opponents as he did at the World Cup last year with the third-place Netherlands. The former Barcelona coach talks about imposing a philosophy that remains a mystery to many.Equally mystifying was the complete absence of Radamel Falcao from Sundays squad when United required all the attacking vigour in its armoury to break through such a sturdy back-four. Paying more than $60 million to turn that loan from Monaco into a permanent deal at the end of the season seems unthinkable at the moment, but predicting how the next five months will unfold would be foolish.As a coach you have to take decisions and you have to look at the composition of your team and your selection and you have to look at your game plan, Van Gaal said. We have a lot of players who are coming back and (Falcao) has played the last five matches in a row.Those five games capped an 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Unlike Moyes, that included steering United into the fourth round of the FA Cup, albeit against weaker opposition.And Van Gaals job seems far more secure than his ill-fated predecessor. The air of gloom and negativity that pervaded Old Trafford last season has gone, and fan dissent has been quelled with a cocksure coach in the dugout.Publicly, Van Gaal is saying the right things.Moyes was ridiculed for saying of Manchester City: Its the sort of standard and level we need to try and aspire to get ourselves to. Whereas Van Gaal just last week issued a typically crowd-pleasing declaration: My ambition is that I have the best players who can collaborate with each other to form the best team in the world.The starting point is ensuring strikers perform their primary function and find the net more consistently. Only then will the comparisons with the mediocrity under Moyes stop, even though United is in a more elevated league position.___Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarrisSenio Kelemete Jersey .Corey Brewer had 19 points eight rebounds, five assists and five steals for the Timberwolves, who snapped a six-game losing streak and won for just the third time since Ricky Rubio went out with an injured ankle on Nov. Bruce Ellington Jersey .m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Packers by 3RECORD VS. SPREAD — New England 7-4, Green Bay 5-5-1SERIES RECORD — Tied 5-5. http://www.officialhoustontexansfootball...r-jersey-womens. "First, I would like to offer my deepest and sincerest apologies for any harm I have inflicted on University of Missouri defensive lineman, Michael Sam," the statement read. Whitney Mercilus Jersey .L. - Defending womens champion Alberta improved to 3-0 at the Canadian junior curling championships with a 10-3 win over Ontario in Sundays afternoon draw. Jordan Thomas Jersey . As a follow-up, TSN.ca offers you the opportunity to chime in on all the big issues with our insiders. Read up on all the questions and answers, and put in your own two cents on our popular Your Call feature.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State coach Mark Jackson has a suggestion for fans of both the Warriors and the Clippers: Dont show up for Game 5 in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Jackson was responding to questions Monday about how fans in Los Angeles should react to the purported comments of Clippers owner Donald Sterling telling a woman not to bring black people to his games or associaate with them.dddddddddddd The Warriors coach said: "I believe if it was me, I wouldnt come to the game. I believe the fans, the loudest statement that they can make as fans is to not show up to the game." Jackson said players have families to worry about and are getting paid to be there but fans "cannot allow someone with these feelings to profit." 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