Louis van Gaal was unhappy with a stupid booking leading to Juan Matas red card in Manchester Uniteds 1-0 loss at West Brom. The Spaniard was sent off for the first time in his career for picking up two quick yellow cards, the first for preventing a quick free-kick and the second for tripping Darren Fletcher.Salomon Rondon then scored for the Baggies after the break to end Uniteds winning run and dent their top-four hopes. Asked about the red card awarded to Mata, Van Gaal told Sky Sports: The first was a stupid yellow card, you know it is a yellow card in advance. The second you know you already have one so you have to take that into account. Mike Dean sends Manchester Uniteds Juan Mata off You damage the team, but the referee has to know the person who makes the tackle and Mata never hurts an opponent.The referee has to know the character of the players and that is why an experienced referee is better because he knows the players and the game.The defeat sees United remain three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City having also played a game more.Its a big blow, these kinds of matches you have to win, said Van Gaal. We have played 60 minutes with 10 men against 11 and this is the fifth match in 14 days. Patrick Davison is joined by Gareth McAuley to discuss West Broms 1-0 victory over Manchester United It is very difficult to play against 11 and thats the reason we lost. We didnt give many chances away, only the goal really, its a big pity that we had to play with 10.With nine games left to play, Van Gaal now believes United need maximum points to finish in the top four.He added: We need 27 points, its a lot but it is always possible. Also See: West Brom 1-0 Man Utd Can Man Utd make top four? Henry on Utds top-four bid LISTEN: Super Sunday podcast Saints Jerseys China . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed. Saints Jerseys 2021 . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. https://www.saintsjerseyssale.com/ . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. Wholesale Saints Jerseys . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. Stitched Saints Jerseys . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Julius Peppers doesnt like to take breaks.He has missed just two practices in his three seasons with the Packers. One was late last year, and the other came Wednesday. Both were just days off for rest.Coach Mike McCarthy plans to give Peppers a midweek practice break the rest of the season, his 15th in the league. Peppers is still productive, with a sack in three straight games going into the Packers critical contest Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.He has a very old-school approach, McCarthy said Thursday. He just does not want to come off the field, and I think hes a tremendous example for your younger players and has been a tremendous asset to our program.Peppers reached another career milestone during the 21-13 win last week over Houston. A sack in the second quarter gave Peppers 142 1/2 for his career, moving him past Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan for fifth place on the all-time list. The four players ahead of Peppers -- Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Kevin Greene and Chris Doleman -- are also in the Hall.In practice, McCarthy said the 36-year-old Peppers will often run with younger, quicker defensive backs.Hes always working different moves, even as a vet, first-year defensive lineman Dean Lowry said. Being a rookie, you look at that and it kind of motivates you to get better each day, too.But Peppers had to adjust to a new role this year. The Packers limited his snaps early in the season, a move made easier in September because Peppers was part of a deep pool of pass rushers.Lately, Peppers snap counts are up, in part because of the mounting injuries on defense.Clay Matthews is bothered by a left shoulder injury, and he was already being counted on to partner with Peppers to rush the passer as well as help fill in for injured inside linebackers Jake Ryan (ankle) and Blake Martinez (knee).But, like Peppers, Matthhews has been tough to keep off the field.dddddddddddd He was initially supposed to miss two days of practice to help build strength back in the shoulder, but Matthews was back on a limited basis Thursday.You have to be smart but at the same time take your shots, so you just hope for the best, Matthews said. Its moving in the right direction, so hopefully thats good news.Outside linebacker Nick Perry, who has a team-high eight sacks, is also out with a hand injury. And now the Packers have to deal with Seattle dual-threat quarterback Russell Wilson, with the Seahawks coming off 40-7 rout of Carolina.A fresh Peppers should be seeing more time to help fill the void, at a time when his production is up. Capers has said that Peppers will play even more down the stretch, as the Packers try to close a two-game gap with first-place Detroit in the NFC North, with four games left in the regular season.We were going with a pitch count, or however you want to express it, earlier in the season. But just because of a number of different factors, Julius is playing more, McCarthy said.So to help compensate, Peppers will get breathers in practice, whether he likes it or not.Frankly, I did not let him practice Wednesday because hes old-school that way. He likes being out there and doesnt like to miss practice, McCarthy added. That will really be our path every Wednesday from here on out.INJURY REPORT: CB Ladarius Gunter missed a second straight day because of an illness. DT Letroy Guion (shoulder), along with Ryan and Martinez were limited for a second straight day, as was QB Aaron Rodgers (hamstring).---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Genaro Armas at: https://twitter.com/GArmasAP ' ' '