Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes that this afternoon's 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield could prove to be "very important" in the battle for fourth place.
A brace from Juan Mata put the Red Devils in command against their fierce rivals, before Daniel Strurridge pulled one back for his side to change the complexion of the game 20 minutes from time.
Steven Gerrard was also shown a straight red card in the action-packed clash, just 48 seconds after being introduced from the bench, while Wayne Rooney saw his spot kick kept out late on by Simon Mignolet.
United now find themselves five points ahead of their opponents in the final Champions League berth, with just eight games of the season left to play.
"We played very well in the first half," Van Gaal told Sky Sports News after the game. "Like always, when you play against 10 you forget to press. We had unnecessary ball losses and we brought Liverpool into the game. Most of the players were thinking 'maybe he can do it'.
"We kept the ball and created a lot of possibilities, not big chances, but a lot of possibilities to score. I said whoever could beat the pressure shall win.
"It's an amazing result for the fans, because we've beaten Liverpool three times this season. We now have a gap from positions five, six and seven which is very important."
Next up for United is the visit of Aston Villa to Old Trafford after the international break.
Daniel Lewis
