Louis
van Gaal might have made a stuttering start at Old Trafford but Manchester
United are top of the table when it comes to results against their nearest
rivals.
United strengthened their grip on a Champions League place with Sunday's 2-1
win over Liverpool at Anfield but the result - which saw them move five
points clear of the fifth-placed Reds - also saw them climb top of the
mini-league between the Premier League's current top five.
Van Gaal's men have taken 10 points from tussles against the teams around
them, beating Arsenal at the Emirates and Brendan Rodgers' side in
December's reverse fixture, as well as drawing with Chelsea.
They still face a trip to Stamford Bridge in between home games against
arch-rivals Manchester City and Arsenal but Van Gaal spoke bullishly after
his side's latest key victory.
"We are playing like a team more than ever and played very good football in
the first half," the Dutchman said. "Winning away here we now have a gap to
positions five, six and seven, so the moment to win is one of the most
important in my career."
Liverpool, by contrast, have won just one of their six fixtures so far
against the four sides currently above them - a 2-1 victory over Manchester
City earlier this month.
But they have conceded 13 goals in defeats against United, City and Chelsea
- and face trips to Stamford Bridge and the Emirates before their top-four
fate is sealed.
Here's how the Premier League's current top five have fared against each
other so far this season in the competition:
PREMIER LEAGUE TOP FIVE HEAD-TO-HEAD
1. Manchester United
Played: 5
Won: 3
Drawn: 1
Lost: 1
Goals for: 8
Goals against: 4
Points: 10
2. Chelsea
Played: 5
Won: 2
Drawn: 3
Lost: 0
Goals for: 7
Goals against: 4
Points: 9
3. Man City
Played: 7
Won: 2
Drawn: 3
Lost: 2
Goals for: 9
Goals against: 9
Points: 9
4. Arsenal
Played: 5
Won: 1
Drawn: 2
Lost: 2
Goals for: 7
Goals against: 8
Points: 5
5. Liverpool
Played: 6
Won: 1
Drawn: 1
Lost: 4
Goals for: 7
Goals against: 13
Points: 4
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