Rooney seals smash-and-grab win for Manchester United

“I think this will give a big boost to players, fans, everyone in the environment of Manchester United”.

While Liverpool’s weakness recently has been crosses testing keeper Simon Mignolet, Van Gaal took the option to take a short corner that set up United’s victor for Wayne Rooney to score the victor and take his tally in the last four matches to five.

Manchester United are next on 37 points, moving up one place after Rooney’s 78th minute volley gave them victory at arch-rivals Liverpool in a drab north-west derby which improved slightly after the break following a poor first half.

“In the second-half we played much better and kept the ball better and created chances and Wayne Rooney makes the fantastic goal again”, added the Dutchman.

Wayne Rooney scored the game’s only goal just before the 80th minute with a snap shot following a rebound off the crossbar from a Fellaini header.

But it was the Reds, looking for their first win over United in three meetings, who were soon in the ascendancy as Firmino could only drag wide after David de Gea had sprinted out to thwartAdam Lallana.

Rooney, a Liverpudlian and an Everton supporter, was particularly delighted.

“He is always reaching a very high level so I am very happy, but I can not say that today he has done a lot”, he said.

United fans will be thankful of Real Madrid’s recent transfer ban as the Spanish club have been consistently linked with taking the United number one back to Spain. “We didn’t prevent the cross, we lost Fellaini and lost Rooney”, said a rueful Klopp in his post-match press conference.

Liverpool – still in flux under Klopp and struggling for consistency – had the better of the first-half chances but were made to rue missed opportunities from the likes of Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson.

It proved to be United’s sole shot on target in the entire game and, despite a late scare when Firmino failed to turn in when promisingly placed, the visitors comfortably survived the final minutes.

Klopp admits that in a derby such as today’s game all that matters is a win and despite not putting in the required performance, he credited Manchester United for walking away with the points.

“We needed the three points and to continue the start to this year, so it is a massive win for us”.

“It’s great obviously to have records, but I don’t think that will beat the feeling I have now”, Rooney told Sky Sports.

Fortune said former Red Devils Manager Alex Ferguson also took some time to get the team to the winning ways and the club, has to be patient with Gaal too.

The Spaniard, who before the match outlined his ambition to emulate Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar as a United legend, produced a magnificent double save to deny first Emre Can and then Roberto Firmino in the second half.