Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says he has sympathy for Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers after the Reds’ poor start to the season.
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United meet arch rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, with van Gaal’s side seeking to extend their wining run to six matches.
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Liverpool, who finished second in the Premier League last season, are currently ninth in the table and crashed out of the Champions League on Wednesday with a 1-1 home draw with Basle.
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Rodgers has come in for criticism during Liverpool’s poor run.
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But, like United, Liverpool have also had to cope with injuries to key players, including losing striker Mario Balotelli to a hamstring strain on November 8.
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“The last matches of Liverpool they were a little bit unlucky,” van Gaal said on Friday.
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“You have to survive that as a manager. We have managed our last five matches despite our list of injuries and I’m pleased by that.
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“You have to give as a manager a lot of credit to the players because it is not so easy.
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“The Premier League is not so easy. Every game that we have, even against bottom of the league, is very difficult to beat.”
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Sunday will be van Gaal’s first match in charge of United against Liverpool – who he almost joined as director of football two years ago.
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The Dutchman revealed that assistant manger Ryan Giggs, a veteran of many clashes with Liverpool during his 24-year playing career, had played a significant part in preparing the team for the match.
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“As an assistant manager I have Ryan Giggs and he presented the analysis of Liverpool and he did it in a marvellous way – I’m very pleased,” van Gaal said.
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“I will not tell you (what it included) but I can assure you that it was marvellous.”
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Van Gaal confirmed Colombian striker Radamel Falcao would be available, leaving Chris Smalling, Angel di Maria, Luke Shaw and Danny Blind as the main absentees.
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Falcao is likely to be named among the substitutes, with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie starting in attack.
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Dutch striker Van Persie has scored three goals in his last three appearances.
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Michael Carrick seems certain to retain his place in the team – either in midfield or as a makeshift central defender.
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The injury to Smalling could mean Carrick drops into defence if van Gaal chooses to maintain the 3-5-2 shape used in the 2-1 victory over Southampton on Monday.
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“It’s very important that he can play in midfield and defence, especially when we have a list of defenders injured. Because of him we have more balance,” van Gaal said.
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Despite the victory, United attracted criticism for their performance against Southampton, particularly from former captain Gary Neville working in his role as a television pundit.
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Neville said that he thought Sunday’s match would be like a fixture between two pub teams, but van Gaal said he would ignore that viewpoint.
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“I don’t think somebody living outside the community of Manchester United can judge how we are doing. It’s based on no facts,” van Gaal said.
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“I analyse everything we’re doing and there’s no facts. I’m not listening to the English television.”
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