Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal, has insisted Liverpool are not out of the race for Champions League places, despite their win at Anfield on Sunday.
Juan Mata scored twice, before Daniel Sturridge pulled one back, as the Old Trafford outfit established a five-point gap between themselves and the Reds.
“Now the gap is five points ahead of Liverpool and six ahead of Tottenham and Southampton, so the moment to win is one of the most important in my career,” he said in a news conference.
Van Gaal, who has won the Champions League with Ajax, expressed his displeasure at his team’s complacency, after Steven Gerrard was sent off in the second half.
“It was the best first 45 minutes because the second half we were not so good anymore and that is amazing a little bit because we played 11 against 10 and it should be easy or easier than the first half but it was not,” he added.
“The first half was very good because I knew in advance that Liverpool should press us and they did and we played them off the pitch in the first half. We scored a fantastic goal and gave nothing away so it was a superb first half.
“We beat them again with their own weapons and with the pressure on the ball.”
Van Gaal refused to rule Liverpool out of the race for a top-four finish.
He said: “Never, because it is still eight matches to go. Eight [games] is 24 points. They can still be champions.”
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