Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has lavished praise on his captain, Wayne Rooney, ahead of Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with Liverpool, which will see the Red Devils attempt to open up a five point cushion on fifth place.
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Rooney has seemingly benefited from United’s latest switch in formation, which has seen him play up front as part of a 4-3-3, and helped him to score five goals in his last six games.
After netting against Spurs last time out, the 29-year-old will now be looking to put the Reds to the sword. Van Gaal, whose side beat Tottenham 3-0 at Old Trafford, has even compared the England skipper to Ronald de Boer, who he coached at Ajax.
The Dutch duo helped mastermind the clubs 1995 Champions League win, with De Boer featuring as the target man. And Van Gaal, who was quoted by the Daily Express, now believes that Rooney has filled that same role, ahead of his fellow strikers.
He said: “We won two times against AC Milan. I thought it would not happen a third time but it did. It was not our best match, the final, it was a pity but we won.
“It is not only that [De Boer] has to score but he has to be an attacking (focal) point. Wayne is also an attacking point and he scores.”