Van Gaal’s side welcome Newcastle United to Old Trafford on Boxing Day as they look to maintain their recent surge up the Premier League table, which has left them third, despite a stuttering start to life under the Dutchman.
A run of six straight wins was ended by a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa last time out.
Radamel Falcao is the only member of United’s squad likely to play on Thursday who may be unaccustomed to the hectic festive schedule in English football.
But Rooney believes spending Christmas at home will provide a nice fillip for those charging their batteries for a tough run.
“We’re not training on Christmas Day this year because we’ll be spending it at home, which will be good for the foreign players and those of us with children,” said Rooney, who has two sons.
“It must be strange for the new players to have more games than ever over Christmas, having had the time off previously.
United captain Rooney is expected to line up in midfield again when Alan Pardew’s men make the trip to Manchester, with Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini unable to shake off knocks.
One good piece of news for Van Gaal is Daley Blind’s return to training after six weeks out with a knee injury, however.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
