Manchester City vs. United: Key Takeaways from Louis Van Gaal's Pre-Game Presser

Manchester United's Louis van Gaal didn't understate the importance of Sunday's Premier League fixture against Manchester City, calling it "the biggest derby I shall manage," via the club's official website:

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This is the biggest derby that I shall manage. It is one of 38 [league] matches we have to play, but for the fans it is unbelievably big as a rivalry and I have felt that also with a lot of the players in the squad, but also especially with Ryan Giggs. When he presented the analysis on City, I felt more tension with him. It was good to see.

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The experienced Dutchman has coached championship-winning teams all over Europe, but few local derbies can match the excitement and gravity of the Manchester derby.

Fans and pundits have been debating all week whether Wayne Rooney should return to United's starting XI for Sunday's match against the Citizens following his lengthy absence through suspension, but Van Gaal made it clear on Friday his captain will start.

He confirmed Radamel Falcao is still not available due to injury, via the Daily Mail's Ian Ladyman:

Elaborating on Rooney's situation, he called him "his captain" and referred to his excellent scoring record against City as a reason he should always play, per the club's official Twitter feed:

Maroune Fellaini was one of the players who shone brightest during Rooney's absence, taking full advantage of the opportunity he was given against Chelsea, and Van Gaal wants him to keep up his strong play.

"He has made a great contribution and also the assist for the [Chelsea] goal," the Dutchman said in his pre-match presser. "He has had a lot of time out injured but when he is fit I have played him. He has to continue with that because then I am very pleased.

The Red Devils haven't lost a Premier League match since the 5-3 drubbing they took from Leicester City late September, and the club is trending in the right direction. With City somewhat struggling, Van Gaal doesn't see why his squad shouldn't be able to beat the defending champions:

The Dutchman's transition into the role of United boss has been aided by the presence of club legend and last season's interim coach Ryan Giggs, but Van Gaal believes the assistant coach has done even more than that in the short time they've worked together:

While Falcao will remain on the sidelines on Sunday, Antonio Valencia's health is making encouraging progress, and he could be available for selection.

Van Gaal has managed top clubs like Bayern Munich and Ajax in the most difficult of circumstances, but with massive title implications and a strong rivalry among the fan bases, the Manchester derby will present him with a situation unlike anything he's ever seen.

Manuel Pellegrini and the Citizens are under pressure to keep up with league leaders Chelsea, and there's no understating Sunday's meeting. For the Red Devils, a loss would likely see the gap with Arsenal and Liverpool grow, a disaster with an eye on a top-four finish.

This United team has already evolved from a group of underachievers losing to the likes of Leicester into a solid Premier League team capable of challenging for European football, but on Sunday, against their city rivals, it will be up to Van Gaal and Co. to take the next step.

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