The and only!

United back in fourth hunt

Ralf Rangnick last night cheekily claimed credit for the success of liverpool’s serial winners and they could return to haunt him tomorrow.

United visit Anfield with Liverpool needing a win to go above Manchester City and keep the title heat on Pep Guardiola’s side.

And United interim boss Rangnick pointed out Liverpool’s success under Klopp is in part down to a core of players he identified and signed during his career as a coach and sporting director.

Rangnick played a key role in the careers of Liverpool stars Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino.

Firmino joined Rangnick at Hoffenheim, Mane, Keita, Konate and Minamino were signed while the German was director of football for the Red

Bull franchise, while Matip played under him at Schalke.

Asked for his opinion on United’s next opponents, Rangnick (63) could not resist pointing out how he and his staff scouted and signed several of Klopp’s squad when they were relative unknowns, ultimately providing them with the platform for their moves to Liverpool.

Good

“They are good, they are extremely good,” said Rangnick, when asked about Liverpool.

“Jurgen has built that team over the last six-and-a-half years. Six or seven of those used to be my — or our — players.

“We signed them for our clubs when nobody knew them and again it’s no coincidence that this is probably the club with the highest number of players from our former clubs.

“Their approach, their style of football, the way they want to play is pretty similar.”

United will have it all to do on Merseyside, against opponents who hammered them 5-0 at Old Trafford earlier this season

Although their hopes of clinching fourth spot were revived by victory over Norwich, courtesy of the 60th hat-trick of Cristiano Ronaldo’s career and defeats for Arsenal and Tottenham, United face a potential reality check tomorrow.

If they are to take anything from the trip to Anfield, United must defend better than they did here, with Rangnick admitting they have not been up to the standard of a topfour side when it comes to protecting their own goal — or physical enough when under pressure.

“They showed today they were trying to win the game but for me it’s a question of being physical enough in those moments,” said Rangnick.

“It wasn’t the first time today, it’s happened in games earlier on.

Battle

“If I still remember the game at Leeds, when we played at the end with Scott McTominay and with Fred, yes, it was a battle and we were up to the standard at Leeds, but this has to happen more regularly.

“The reason why the club contacted me in November was the fact they just conceded too many goals too easily.

“We reduced the number of goals conceded but the way we defend is still not the standard that we need in order to be a top four club.”

Victor Lindelof hailed “unbelievable” Ronaldo for the goals that secured a vital win for United, as topfour rivalsTottenham and Arsenal both slipped up by losing.

“It’s just unbelievable and the way he keeps on scoring goals is unbelievable.

“But we’re seeing every day the work he puts in and the way he takes care of his body,” added the Swede. “His mentality