Louis van Gaal says if he could put money on the Premier League title race, he’d put it on, Liverpool.
The former Manchester United boss is backing Jurgen Klopp to end the Anfield club’s 28-year-old wait for a league crown, saying that the German is a better coach than Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.
Van Gaal reckons that the Reds have a better defence and more fighting spirit, despite losing their first match of the campaign on Thursday - 2-1 to City - and now have a four-point lead at the top.
The 67-year-old Dutchman believes City may have the better players but insists that Klopp is giving Guardiola a masterclass in coaching.
He says: “Klopp has turned Liverpool into an absolute fighting machine – both attacking and defending.
“So, if I was to put my money on one club for the league, it would be Liverpool. Liverpool’s team is not based on the highest quality when it comes to their players.
“In fact, the highest quality players are at City. But, at the same time, that is the weakness in Guardiola.
"He only coaches his teams in an attacking way. Always.The moment his team have to defend, they look terrible. Liverpool have a team that can defend much better.
“That’s because Klopp has trained them to be a fighting force, whether they have the ball or not. That’s exactly what is lacking in Guardiola’s team now.
“City have fabulous football ideas and a sparkling way of playing – but not the fighting spirit."