Manchester United defender Johnny Evans has admitted for the first time that he is finding it difficult to find form under the management of Louis van Gaal.

The Northern Irishman missed the start of the season due to niggling injury problems. Upon his return, he found himself playing in a different formation with three defenders at the back. Evans committed a number of mistakes that led to his absence from the team for a brief period.

He is no longer a first choice at the club despite being the most experienced after the departures of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the summer.

After being out of the starting line-up for almost 3 weeks, Evans returned back to the first-team in the match against Cambridge United. After a hardfought victory, the defender stated that him and several United players are finding the current regime to be extremely tough. Van Gaal is a demanding manager and he criticised new summer signing Luke Shaw for not being in the best possible shape to play in a 3-5-2 formation. Results have started coming of late, but United’s football style has been criticised in several quarters. Evans says that it is a result of playing in a new style.

“The lads have taken a lot on board. At times it has been tough and it takes time. We’ve been used to playing a certain way for a number of years then the change happens and he wants us to play a certain way. So it does take time for those things to become second nature. But I think you are starting to see that now.The fact that the formation has changed a lot has taught the lads an awful lot. Coming into games, if we do have any changes in formation, I think is a big plus for us to have,” said Evans.