Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick are set to miss Manchester United’s trip to Liverpool but Adnan Januzaj could make a first appearance for Louis van Gaal’s side since August.
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Leicester ended a run of three league matches without a goal with a late Robert Huth header giving them a 1-0 win at fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
But the former Dortmund manager is relishing his first Liverpool-Manchester United clash and anticipates that it would be a tasty affair.
“In football the most important thing is the results and we are going for it, I think everyone can see that”.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has compared one of the city’s most famous sons, John Lennon, with Sir Alex Ferguson – the club’s nemesis for more than 20 years. Primarily a centre forward, the Frenchman is revered for his blistering pace and on-the-ball ability.
The exchange happened after Van Gaal was asked about criticism United striker Wayne Rooney has faced this season.
“Games don’t come much bigger than that”, he said “Arsenal and United games are two very tough starts”.
“Then I chose to move to Cardiff from there and, on reflection, I could have been a bit more patient but I felt I wanted to play games and took the decision to go to Cardiff”.
He said he would lose 28lb before the end of May…and challenged LVG to win more league points than that by the end of the season.
I am part of the transition so I can not imagine that shall happen with Manchester United.
Lucas continues that games between these teams are always very different, “It’s not just about winning and playing well, these games are different”.
The two rivals face-off on Merseyside, with Van Gaal having won all three of his previous competitive fixtures against Liverpool as United look to get their top-four charge back on track after a torrid December.
“Of course, he has to learn also the Premier League, the rhythm of the Premier League, and I think he knows already the difference between the Premier League and German League”.
Of the 47 Premier League clashes between the teams there has only ever been one goalless draw – in September 2005 – and there have been 16 red cards over that period of matches.
“I had a few really good moments with Sir Alex and it was a big honour to talk to him”, he said.
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The Dutchman replied to the journalist: “You have criticised him, I don’t”.
