Louis van Gaal feels the Man City cheating scandal caused him to lose his job at Manchester United. Van Gaal was fired by the Old Trafford leadership after City beat United to Champions League football in May 2016 on goal differential.

The Dutchman’s final game in charge was the FA Cup final, which he won against Crystal Palace, although he was fired 24 hours later and replaced by Jose Mourinho. However, Van Gaal is now left wondering what might have been for him after an independent commission ruled that City were guilty of all breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, with the club receiving more than £900 million in disguised funding between 2009 and 2018.

According to The Athletic via email, “For me, at the time, that (missing out on the Champions League in 2016) was probably the deciding factor in my dismissal from Manchester United and all the consequences and suffering this entailed.”

On October 1, City filed an appeal, claiming a “irrefutable body of evidence,” and all parties are now waiting for the verdict before proceeding with the procedure.

And Van Gaal isn’t the only past Premier League manager who is upset; ex-Stoke manager Tony Pulis admitted earlier this month that he feels cheated when the Potters lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City in 2011.

He said, “I had the exact same thinking. While the process is far from done, as Manchester City is anticipated to appeal, I must admit that this verdict and the entire incident have left a bad taste in my mouth.

“I don’t seriously believe any other trophies and titles will be handed back over either.