[h=1]Revealed: Manchester United players knew the Man City scoreline before going top of the Premier League[/h]
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- 17:35, 26 Sep 2015
- Updated 17:41, 26 Sep 2015
- By Tom Marshall-Bailey
[h=2]Reds boss Louis Van Gaal revealed he had "respected" the culture of English football by allowing his squad to watch their rivals lose 4-1 at Spurs in the early kick-off[/h]
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Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal has revealed his players were fully aware of Manchester City's lunchtime defeat to Tottenham ahead of storming to the top of the Premier League.
The Reds were comfortable 3-0 winners over Sunderland in the 3pm kick-off at Old Trafford, with Memphis Depay and Wayne Rooney scoring either side of the break before Juan Mata finished things off late on.
It sent United to the top of the standings ahead of their city rivals following their 4-1 reverse at White Hart Lane and Van Gaal admitted that the first-team squad had knowledge of the scoreline heading into their own game.
"It is much too difficult [to stop them finding out] with the iPhones, iPads and television in the dressing room and it is against the culture I believe," he said.
"The players are always looking to the other match so we must respect the culture and I adapt to that.
"I was also in former days coach of Barcelona and Real Madrid was always playing in front of us, but when we won we were top of the league.
"It is not so easy under pressure to be top of the league and I have to praise my players that they could win and beat Sunderland.
"We win again and score beautiful goals. so I am a very happy coach."