Ahead of the clash between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield this Sunday, United manager Louis van Gaal has stated that the Old Trafford club would not go 26 years without a league title. Liverpool last won the league in 1989/90 – their 18th league title in the First Division but have never won a Premier League title since it came into being in 1992.
Coincidentally, United themselves had gone 26 years without a league title. Their last league title before the advent of the Premier League was in 1967 and then Sir Alex Ferguson won 13 EPL titles. But ever since his retirement in 2013, the Red Devils have been in decline and have failed to show the spark of yesteryears.
In the time since, their biggest achievement was a top four finish last season following David Moyes’s sacking and the appointment of Van Gaal. This season, in spite of topping the table in September, the Red Devils have dropped down to sixth after a terrible run of form that saw them win just once in their last eight league games.
Manchester United will not wait like Liverpool: Van Gaal
When asked about the prospect of going more than two-and-a-half decades without a league title like Liverpool, Van Gaal was adamant that the Red Devils would not go through such a trophy drought.
“I am part of the transition so I cannot imagine that shall happen with Manchester United,” Van Gaal explained. “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.
“But maybe it shall take a longer time. But I cannot imagine it will be the same for Manchester United. It (United) is too big, too organised and we have an infrastructure and we are improving that every year.”
More difficult to win the EPL now than 10 years ago: Van Gaal
The Dutch boss also explained why the Premier League is much tougher to win now. He made the point where clubs have now closed the gap to the traditional top clubs and also admitted that United have ‘underperformed’.
“I think it’s much more difficult to win the Premier League than 10 years ago,” Van Gaal said. “The difference between Liverpool and Manchester United and the rest of the league was bigger than now.
“So the level is higher and the difference between the clubs is a smaller gap. That’s why I say it’s more difficult to win and, of course, you can then still say that we have underperformed because Manchester United has to be in the first three in the Premier League and the same thing counts for Liverpool I think.”
