Louis van Gaal has told Manchester United they must deliver and knock Liverpool out of the Europa League tonight.

The manager's view was supported by Ander Herrera, who claimed Liverpool may feel uncomfortable playing at Old Trafford, where they have lost on their past two visits.

United disappointed at Anfield in the opening leg of the last-16 tie, losing 2-0, and the manager acknowledges the supporters are due a performance. “Yes, but we owe always to the fans a big result because the fans are paying to see that,” he said. “We have to deliver. But in sport you can lose and you can win; that you have to accept.

“Tomorrow we only have to think we have to beat Liverpool – and beat them 2-0 not 3-0 because we can do it in extra time. We can do it 2-0 and then we have a chance to reach the next round. You know we have scored goals within three or four minutes this season so it is possible.”

If Liverpool score once United have to respond with four because of the away-goals rule.

“We don’t think about conceding a goal,” Van Gaal said. “We think about making goals. We have done that against Midtjylland [scoring five], the last opponent before Liverpool. I think the challenge is to beat Liverpool and the challenge that we are two goals down is a big challenge. We have to believe in it – it starts with the players of course but it starts also with the fans. They have a lot of impact on the pitch . . .we have to believe in it.”

Rallying call

Herrera issued a rallying call, pointing to United’s ascendancy over Liverpool since he joined the club in the summer of 2014.

“Since I was here we have played five times against them and won four times,” he said.

“Two times we have played them at home, we won clearly. I think we were the better team – we have examples of the way we have to play. When we play at home we feel stronger. We have more fans at home and our fans for me are the best in England.

“When we play away they are fantastic. At home they support us whether we are good or bad. We have to play fantastic. We cannot concede a goal. It’s a game of 45 minutes and then another game of 45 minutes.”

Herrera understands what victory over United’s fiercest rivals would mean to supporters.

“We know because we have beaten them already,” said the 26-year-old. “We want to make them happy. We want to make them proud . . .

“It’s a big opportunity to give for them a little bit, so it is our dream, our intention to win tomorrow to give them a very good moment.”

Herrera admits United were poor at Anfield but denied the side lacked spirit.

“I don’t agree with you,” the Spaniard said. “We always fight, we always have the desire to win. But every game is different. Liverpool are in very good form. But you can never say that we don’t want to win or fight. Everyone has to respect us on that issue. We want to fight always. We are very proud because we are Man Utd players.

“But we should have played much better [at Anfield] . Now we have another chance tomorrow. When you have such a bad game you don’t have to think too much what happened. The next challenge is Liverpool – the biggest opponent for our fans and our history. Don’t think about the past. First score a goal and then another game will come.”

More compact

Herrera believes Liverpool are uncomfortable playing at Old Trafford. “They were not so comfy playing here in front our fans,” said the midfielder.

At Anfield Van Gaal switched Marcus Rashford to a right-sided role and during the game played with three central defenders, but the 64-year-old denied his tactics were wrong.

“You can say that maybe you have to press in another way or play more compact but that is already considered in the gameplan. You cannot say that it is that aspect or the other aspect. It’s also the question how the goals have fallen,” said Van Gaal.

Guardian Service