Louis Van Gaal has said Manchester United must win the Premier League for him to consider himself Jose Mourinho’s equal.
United face Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday, a match which pits Van Gaal against his former apprentice for only the second time in a competitive fixture. Their only previous meeting was the 2010 Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Mourinho’s Inter Milan, which the latter won.
Asked whether that meant Mourinho could consider himself superior to his former master, Van Gaal replied: “Of course.
“Maybe because he hasn’t won as many titles as I have won but [has won titles] in a shorter time, and he has won the championship in more than three countries.
“I am the next in three and I also want to do it here then I am equal again.”
Van Gaal was referring to the fact Mourinho has won the league in Portugal, England, Spain and Italy, while the Dutchman has been a champion in Holland, Spain and Germany. He has set himself the target of winning the Premier League with United during the term of his three-year contract.
Van Gaal confirmed that Radamel Falcao is an injury doubt for Sunday's game, with United already trailing Chelsea by 10 points after just eight league matches.
The Colombian striker suffered an injury in training. United were at pains to stress it was not a knee problem for Falcao, who has only just recovered from a serious knee injury which ruled him out of the World Cup Finals in Brazil last summer.
“On Friday morning he got a kick so we have to see if he is fit enough,” Van Gaal said. “It is not a knee problem. He had a knee problem but not any more.”
With Wayne Rooney serving the final game of his three-match suspension for being sent off against West Ham United, it is likely that United will play with Robin van Persie as a lone striker.
Mourinho has his own problems with strikers, although it is understood that Diego Costa did train “to some extent” on Saturday. Chelsea will make a final decision as to whether to start with the Spaniard, who has been suffering from a stomach illness and a separate hamstring injury. Loic Remy is already ruled out and Mourinho would be reluctant to start with veteran striker Didier Drogba.
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