Louis Van Gaal Taunts Liverpool, Hails Anthony Martial Manchester United Debut

Louis van Gaal has reminded Liverpool he holds a 100 percent record against them as Manchester United boss. Speaking after United's 3-1 win at Old Trafford, Van Gaal couldn't resist a sly dig at the expense of his club's old enemy.

Per Sky Sports (h/t Mirror writer Aaron Flanagan), Van Gaal said: "For me, Liverpool is a fantastic club. Because I have won every game against Liverpool."

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It's no surprise to hear a bullish tone from Van Gaal. Three points against Liverpool proved the perfect tonic for a manager who had endured a difficult week, during which he had to answer concerns about how he treats his players.

But what will have pleased the Dutchman most is the debut contribution from Anthony Martial. The former AS Monaco prospect netted United's third in thrilling fashion.

Typically deadpan, Van Gaal described the spectacular solo effort in simple terms, per BBC Sport's Ben Smith:

Knowing what scoring on a debut can do to heighten the hype around a player, Van Gaal wisely preached caution for 19-year-old Martial. The Red Devils gaffer warned fans and pundits not to demand too much too soon from Martial, according to the MailOnline's Joe Bernstein:

"He scored a fantastic goal. I knew he could dribble and had pace but his finish was fantastic too. It shall give him a boost of course but you can not expect of his players to have consistency.At 19 or 20, it shall come with ups and down. He has to adapt to a new culture."

Looking for more ways to temper the enthusiasm surrounding his French striker, Van Gaal also refused to guarantee Martial will start United's next game. That's the UEFA Champions League trip to take on Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven.

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United fans will be pleased to hear that Van Gaal is convinced Martial proved "physically he can play in the Premier League."

Handling the rigours of England's top flight is always a concern for new players, particularly youngsters. But the way Martial shrugged off Liverpool defenders to bag his first United goal showed he won't be pushed around.

In all honesty, though, Van Gaal is on a fool's errand if he thinks he can ratchet down expectations for Martial, even though he has to try. Any teenager costing £36 million is going to be followed by plenty of hype.

Slicing through the Liverpool defence the way he did will only increase the chatter. It's also maintained Van Gaal's ongoing hoodoo against the team United always love to beat.