Connect with us

Manchester United Players

LVG: “My players love playing City”

Wayne RooneyLouis Van Gaal has claimed that his players love the challenge posed by playing in a derby, ahead of Sunday’s all-Mancunian affair.

United, who beat City 4-2 in the corresponding fixture last season, welcome the league leaders at Old Trafford tomorrow afternoon knowing that a win would take them above City and the Dutchman has insisted his players relish this kind of occasion.

Van Gaal singled out Wayne Rooney as the sort of player expected to raise his game tomorrow.

“All the great players love such a challenge,” he said.

“Not only Wayne, but also the other big players we have and that’s also counting for the big players of Manchester City.

“They love these matches.”

Rooney turns 30 on Saturday and Van Gaal was adamant the United captain still had the best years of his career ahead of him, despite a dismal start to the campaign.

“It’s dependable of the player. You cannot predict,” Van Gaal said when whether he was worried about Rooney’s longevity.

“It is down to how he lives for his profession, how strong he is, how ambitious he is.

“It’s always dependable on a lot of factors. So we will have to see.