Louis van Gaal turns up the heat on Man City

Manchester United 3 Aston Villa 1: Alex Ferguson was king of the mind games when he ruled Old Trafford as Manchester United’s all-conquering manager and now it appears some of that psychological warfare is being added to Louis van Gaal’s armoury.

Van Gaal has not previously been in a place to turn the mental heat up on opponents during an unconvincing first season as the would-be successor to Ferguson’s throne following the miserable 12 months endured by David Moyes.

But following a fifth successive Premier League win and with a place in next season’s Champions League looking increasingly assured, the old Dutch master is asking questions of a Manchester City side he is preparing to face in Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford.

Wind back a few weeks, and that game looked all about a potential scramble for points and local pride for United, with City bidding to extend their recent stranglehold over their neighbours and keep pressing Chelsea for the Premier League title. Now, though, it could be City under pressure as Saturday’s efficient victory over Aston Villa took United above the defending champions who face a tricky trip to in-form Crystal Palace this evening.

“Of course it plays a part in the spirit of the players — of our opponents also, but also our players,” said van Gaal.

“We have more confidence and if they lose a point against Crystal Palace then it’s also sitting in the minds. So maybe it plays a role, but that is dependable on the individual player and I don’t know the individual players of Manchester City so well so I cannot judge. But we have a lot of confidence and we don’t lose so many times at home.”

Van Gaal’s English may still not be word perfect but the message is clear enough to City. They can’t afford to slip up at Selhurst Park or Old Trafford if United’s superiority over them in the table isn’t to become permanent and it ends up being Manuel Pellegrini’s side — if the Chilean remains in charge — who will finish fourth and face a qualifying round to reach the group stages of the Champions League at the start of next season.

Van Gaal added: “They still have one match to go — so it is not so relevant. It’s relevant after Monday night if they have lost points. Then it could be, but when they lose points when it is a draw then we are even I think and they have a better goal average. So they have to lose then we are better than Manchester City, but still the next game is the decisive game.”

Recent history might give City some solace ahead of the derby with the last four meetings all going in their favour. That run includes last November’s 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium when United played for the best part of an hour with 10 men following the dismissal of defender Chris Smalling. But Van Gaal insists City will face a different beast next weekend with United having lost just twice in the league since that defeat and currently playing their best football of the season.

He said: “It is another Manchester United I believe. Now we have developed the team. That was more in the start of the process and now we are in the end of the process. I think also the confidence of our players is very high at the moment, but also our performances shows that so it’s not the same Manchester United.”

Villa were the latest to be swept aside on Saturday, with the outcome rarely in doubt once Ander Herrera had fired United in front just before half-time.

Herrera’s second goal — and seventh of the season — in stoppage time gave further gloss to the victory after Christian Benteke had pulled a goal back when squeezing a shot under David de Gea following an 80th-minute corner.

But by then United enjoyed the cushion of a two-goal lead thanks to a stunning strike by Wayne Rooney, who plucked an Angel de Maria cross out of the air before spinning to volley into the top corner and register his 13th goal against the Midlands club. Villa perhaps didn’t expect anything else but after successive defeats they are back in the thick of the relegation battle and facing a huge fixture at home to QPR — surprise winners at West Bromwich Albion to revive their survival hopes — tomorrow night.

Manager Tim Sherwood admitted: “Tuesday was always going to be a massive game, irrespective of what QPR did. We’re looking to be six points clear of them by the end of Tuesday night.”

MAN UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea 5; Valencia 7, Jones 7, Rojo 7, Blind 7; Carrick 7, Herrera 8; Mata 7, Fellaini 7 (Falcao 76, 6), Young 7 (Di Maria 70, 7); Rooney 7.

ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Guzan 7; Hutton 6 (Bacuna 46, 6), Okore 6, Clark 7, Lowton 6; N’Zogbia 5 (Baker 60, 6), Sanchez 6, Delph 7, Weimann 7 (Cole 76, 6); Agbonlahor 6, Benteke 7.

Referee: Roger East 5