Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick makes admission over Liverpool FC squad

Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick is unsurprised by the impressive Liverpool squad Jurgen Klopp has assembled because of the number of players they have recruited from his former clubs.

Rangnick was the sporting director of the Red Bull group between 2012-20 and oversaw the development of six players now at Liverpool. Sadio Mane was at Red Bull Salzburg before he moved to England, Liverpool signed Naby Keita and Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, and Takumi Minamino from Salzburg.

When Klopp took over at Anfield in October 2015, he inherited Roberto Firmino, who joined Hoffenheim when Rangnick was the coach in 2010, and Joel Matip was managed by Rangnick at Schalke.

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Rangnick takes United to Liverpool on Tuesday almost six months to the day since United's 5-0 thrashing in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford. Liverpool have not done a domestic double over United since 2013-14 and if they win they would go top of the Premier League for at least 24 hours.

"They are good, they are extremely good," Rangnick said of Klopp's side. "It's no coincidence that they're as good as they are. Jurgen has built that team over the last six-and-a-half years. Six or seven of those players used to be my/our players when 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 because their approach, their style of football, the way they want to play is pretty similar."

Remarkably, United are only three points off fourth-placed Tottenham, who lost to Brighton on Saturday, with six games left. United's Champions League qualifying chances seemed to be all but over after the supine defeat at Everton and they head to Arsenal four days after the Anfield encounter.

United supporters chanted 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' during the edgy 3-2 win over Norwich and Paul Pogba was repeatedly told to 'f--k off'. Rangnick is still adamant the players have the desire to finish fourth.

"Yeah, of course," Rangnick said. "Of course, they also showed today that they were trying to win that game but, as I said, for me, it's a question of being physical enough in those moments and it was not the first time today, it happened in games earlier on.

"If I still remember the game at Leeds, when we played at the end with Scotty [McTominay] and with Fred, yes it was a battle and we were up to the standards at Leeds, but this has to happen more regularly. It's quite obvious.

"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."