(Manchester United News)
Louis van Gaal admits he is enjoying Manchester United’s intense rivalry with Liverpool, although the Reds boss has warned his players to ignore any emotion attached to Sunday’s showdown.
Van Gaal claimed a 3-0 victory in his first competitive match against the Merseysiders in December and hopes to earn another three points at the weekend. During an interview with MUTV, the Dutchman was asked if he relishes such occasions.
“Yes, when you win, I enjoy it but, when you lose, you don’t enjoy it and, especially now, it is very crucial,” he explained. “We are in a very crucial stage. We cannot lose otherwise Liverpool will come above us and that would not be good. Therefore, it is very crucial.”
Quizzed on the importance of keeping all 11 players on the pitch, the boss added: “I shall always warn my players about red cards. The referee can be sharp, in circumstances where the environment is sharp for him. But also the players – when there is a wrong decision, they have to control their emotions and that is not so easy. I talked about emotion also in our preparation before the Arsenal match [in the FA Cup], for example. It was still a red card [for Angel Di Maria] and I have to say Arsenal also deserved a red card but the referee was saving that player. You need also a little bit of luck.”
Van Gaal also revealed how assistant manager Ryan Giggs and first-team chef Mike Donnelly have aided preparations for Sunday’s blockbuster. “Ryan has given the analysis of Liverpool but also Mike is saying it every day to the players. It’s important because it’s part of the preparation. With people like them - Giggs, Mike the cook - talking about it, I think every player knows the importance of this game.”
