Wayne Rooney’s improvement delights manager Louis van Gaal

“I think [being left out] can refresh you and spur you on a bit more to prove to everyone just how good you are”.

Wayne Rooney’s 78th-minute victor lifted United to 37 points, seven behind Arsenal and Leicester City, the joint leaders, and was United’s second league victory of 2016.

“You have to see it always in perspective”.

“It is a fantastic win for the fans, for me and the players and it will give us a boost, and maybe in that perspective you are right”.

“Because he is one of the best and you can see today that he pulled off a great save and his distribution, especially some of those balls down to Wazza and Jesse further forward, were terrific and really set us up on attack”.

“I have to admit we survived the first half because Liverpool were more aggressive, we could not create anything”.

The match improved a little as a spectacle after the break with De Gea making two important second half saves from Roberto Firmino and Emre Can to keep his side in the game before Rooney struck.

Smalling also praised goalkeeper David De Gea, who turned in an impressive display to thwart Liverpool.

However, although the Spain global was named man of the match, Van Gaal saw nothing but De Gea’s usual high standards.

Mamadou Sakho has revealed that the Liverpool squad could hear the Manchester United players argue at half-time during their game at Anfield yesterday.

“He has stopped the balls that he had to stop”.

Chris Smalling believes Wayne Rooney’s Boxing Day demotion at Stoke was the catalyst for his prolific Manchester United form.

Presiding over his first game against United, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp watched his team dominate, but Rooney punished their profligacy with his fifth goal in four games, a close range snapshot after Marouane Fellaini had hit the bar. We could feel it was a special moment and we are very happy to finish with the win today. You can talk about their performance and it wasn’t that good but they won so they are really happy.

“The set-play was not good defending but it was unlucky because we had changed a few positions moments before”.

Next up for United is Southampton at home and as great as it was to win away at Anfield, it will all be pretty much a waste of time if we can’t get another three points this weekend – so hopefully there’s plenty of shouting before the Saints trip to Old Trafford as well.

“In this moment it is only frustrating, which is how it should be”.