Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed to MUTV that he has spoken to Radamel Falcao about his omission from last week’s match day squad against Southampton. The Dutch boss told the club’s official television channel that the striker understands what is expected of him and knows what he needs to do in order to be selected to the 18-man game day team.

“I have spoken to him but I always speak with the players, I am a good communicator, so that is not a big exception,” Van Gaal explained.

“But of course [Falcao] was not in the squad, so then you talk more with this kind of player because for them it is a big disappointment.”

“I wanted to explain what he has to do in the future and that I have done.”

During his pre-match press conference ahead Saturday’s game against Queens Park Rangers, Van Gaal elaborated on his thought about Falcao and addressed the topic of his team selection.

“For a manager it is the quality of the training sessions,” Van Gaal said. “The quality of the performances in matches, then he [the manager] has to compare with other players.”

“That I have already explained after the match against Southampton.”

“[Falcao] has to prove himself. That we have agreed. Because of that, we have made this deal [referring to Falcao’s loan deal, with United holding an option to buy the striker] and everything is clear.”

“It is not the end of the year so he has a chance to do that.”

“If a player costs £95m or £5,000, it is not any different for me. But it is difficult for you [the media] to understand, I believe.”

“You have to prove yourself and a player of £95m has to prove himself also. If I am not like that, then maybe the player has no motivation, so I have to be like that.”

Van Gaal was then asked about United’s activity in the January market and whether or not he felt his squad was good enough for a top four challenge. But the United manager was clear he wouldn’t sign any player unless that individual was better than what he already has in his squad, and Van Gaal wouldn’t be drawn into a conversation about the quality of his current side.

“I don’t think that we shall be very active because not many players of a certain level are available,” Van Gaal added.

“I have already said in the past that when we have to buy a player he has to be better than the players we have here now, and that is a difficult job.”

On finishing in the top four and whether or not his squad was good enough to do it: “There are more clubs who are fighting, they have the quality of the players so it shall be a battle.”

“Of course I think we can do it, but that’s football, we lost against Southampton and we were the better team. That’s football.”

“Our goal from the beginning was that we start a process to be within the first four because we want to play in the Champions League, and that is still our goal.”

“At this moment we have played 21 matches and we are in the area of the four. We have to fight for it because a lot of other teams are willing the same goal.”