After being called a 'fat man' by Louis van Gaal, this journalist laid down a 'points v pounds' challenge

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal made headlines earlier in the week at a press conference when he labelled a journalist "fat man". The journalist in question has since challenged the Dutchman to a "points v pounds" contest to the end of the season.

Van Gaal provoked the wrath of the media when he refused to answer any more questions about the form of Wayne Rooney, firing the weight jibe at Neil Custis, whom he thought had unfairly criticised the striker.

Sun reporter Custis has since issued Van Gaal a challenge - to try to pick up more points than Custis can lose in pounds by the end of the season.

Custis says he hopes to lose 28lbs by the end of the season - the number of points he has challenged Van Gaal to beat.

The winner will receive £1,000 from a betting company to pledge to a charity of their choosing.

Should the reporter lose three stone and ten pounds (one more pound than 51, the maximum number of points that Van Gaal can pick up should he win all his remaining Premier League games), he will automatically win.

Manchester United have only won one of their last six premier league fixtures, a 2-1 win at home over Swansea. They face Liverpool on Sunday at 2.05pm at Anfield.

It's not yet clear if Van Gaal plans on taking up Custis' challenge...