Liverpool vs Manchester United: Louis van Gaal does not regret snubbing Liverpool in 2012

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed that he has no regrets for snubbing Liverpool when the Reds came calling in an attempt to take the Champions League winner to Anfield earlier in his career.

The Dutchman stated that Liverpool officials talked to him in 2012 before turning over the job to Brendan Rodgers, who has done a commendable job thus far. The northern Irishman has taken the Reds from being seventh in the league to only two points from the league title last season, an achievement given the fact that the Merseyside club struggled to make it to the Champions League over the years.

The Dutchman, meanwhile, has done a decent job since taking over at Old Trafford, keeping United in the top four, in spite of concerted competition from the likes of Tottenham and Southampton. However, all his good work over the past eight months will be under scrutiny should he fail to get three points in their game against the Reds at Anfield on Sunday.

A win for United will take them five points clear of Liverpool and within a point of Arsenal in the race for a top four finish, but a loss will see Liverpool overshoot them for fourth place. The stakes involved have urged Van Gaal to worry about the current job at hand and not ponder on what could have been had he been at the other side of the table.

"Liverpool are in the past. I am manager of Manchester United and they are No 1 in England," Van Gaal said.

"Liverpool also has a very good record and history, but I am the coach of Manchester United and I can't speak about Liverpool now.

"I can speak about them as an opponent but not as a club. Yes, there was interest, but it's not important now. Last week, I was asked about Tottenham. This week it's Liverpool.

"I have spoken to a lot of clubs so, to me, it is not so interesting. It is the past and it is not good for Liverpool, not good for Tottenham and not good for me to be open about these things."

"I was very pleased with that (Liverpool's interest) because I want to work always, every year.

"I take sabbaticals because I want to please my wife and my kids and my grandchildren. But always try to be a manager of a club. So I am a lucky guy," he concluded.