Van Gaal buoyed as United produce morale-boosting win at Liverpool

A goal from Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney 12 minutes from time was enough to see off the challenge of Liverpool as the Premier League’s biggest grudge match turned out to be a drab affair that was desperately short on quality.

Absent any significant January additions United still has several critical flaws that will prevent them from being serious title contenders.

Wayne Rooney allowed himself a moment of self-indulgence after his late goal ensured Manchester United a 1-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday in soccer’s English Premier League. Van Gaal’s team are unbeaten in four matches in all competitions this year.

“We didn’t keep the ball in the first half so we couldn’t create anything and they created three chances in the first half – that was surviving”.

“I think when we knew that he was lining up for us the whole season, it’s a great feeling”, Smalling explained. We are seven points behind and there are a lot of matches still to go. We started 2016 very good, with a lot of wins and a draw, and we didn’t lose.

The Red Devils skipper was the first to react after Marouane Fellaini’s header deflected off the cross bar, blasting the ball into the roof of the net past Reds shot-stopper Simon Mignolet.

Rooney had come under intense pressure from Manchester United fans as well as pundits, with some suggesting that the striker’s best form is behind him.

“Wazza has shown that [ability to bounce back] throughout his career and it’s good to see he is among the goals again”.

“This game shall give a big boost to the players, fans, everybody at Manchester United”.

“From my own experience [of being dropped], I think it can refresh you and spur you on a bit more to prove to everyone just how good you are and people don’t forget that”. We lost a game that we should not have lost.

The skipper acknowledged that his side had to rely on a few saves from goalkeeper David de Gea to stay in the game, but believes that the performance was secondary to picking up all three points over their fiercest rivals.

“The set-piece, we didn’t defend it well, we reorganised before it”.

“I think if any team can put a run together in the second half of the season, then they’ll feel that they can do that”, said Rodgers, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football programme.