Meanwhile Klopp recalled a memorable meeting he had a few years ago with Ferguson – who last month said the former Borussia Dortmund manager’s arrival at Anfield anxious him as it could mean that Liverpool would resume the dominance over United they enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s.
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Since his retirement, United have never looked like winning another one, as David Moyes lead the club to a seventh-place finish, while Van Gaal guided the team back into the top-four last season, with the Manchester outfit now sitting in sixth.
Asked if United may go for as long without a title again – having not won the league between 1967 and 1993 – Van Gaal said: “I am part of the transition so I can not imagine that shall happen with Manchester United”.
Klopp admits he needs to be entertained by football but accepts his Manchester United counterpart Louis van Gaal has a different idea. I cannot imagine. But as you say, when it is happening to Liverpool it can happen also to Manchester United but I cannot imagine that because we are in transition and we are going in the right way.
Van Gaal believes United may be Liverpool’s “ghost” team as his side have defeated them on each of the four occasions they have met. “I think so”, he said.
The Liverpool boss is set to have a similar squad to that of the Gunners draw at his disposal for the fifth game since the turn of the year, in which Liverpool seek to end United’s recent dominance of this fixture with a first win since the Old Trafford destruction of March 2014.
Liverpool host Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.
“But still I have to say we have to be fighting for the first position and now we are not fighting for the first position when we don’t win against Newcastle United in that circumstance”.
Van Gaal has warned his players to keep their heads in a match which is crucial to both clubs’ hopes of finishing in the top four and qualifying of rthe Champions League next season.
Klopp was delighted with the battling display his side produced in their 3-3 draw with Arsenal earlier this week but has warned that work rate alone will not be enough against United.
“For example, Chelsea, last year, did that”. And that doesn’t happen very much.
Improving every year from what exactly? “But that is always hard, because the passion to play these kind of games is always high”.
“Louis van Gaal is one of the most successful managers in the world”.
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“It makes it more easy because I have put all my money on Wayne as a striker”, Van Gaal said while confirming that Michael Carrick was out injured and that he was unlikely to risk Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is not fully fit. “He hasn’t scored for 10 years at Anfield so if he breaks that record I will be very pleased”.
