16:09

Van Gaal admits Vardy fears

Louis van Gaal has paid Jamie Vardy the ultimate compliment by comparing the record-seeking Leicester forward to former Manchester United goal machine Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Vardy is looking to make Premier League history against United on Saturday by scoring for the 11th successive game and claiming outright the record he currently shares with Van Nistelrooy.

The ex-Old Trafford striker, who achieved the feat over two seasons in 2003, has already said he hopes Foxes star Vardy creates a new piece of Premier League history.

Van Gaal — entrusted with the task of ending Vardy’s remarkable run for Leicester — said the England international is like Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 goals in five seasons with the Reds, in that his focus is only on finding the net.

“More or less, Van Nistelrooy is like Vardy — highly concentrated to make goals and always running in behind,” said Van Gaal.

“So you can compare them.

“In personality they are different, but I don’t know Vardy so well, but it is like that. Van Nistelrooy didn’t play so much with me. I was at Ajax and he was at PSV Eindhoven. He was also in the national team but was more injured at that time, in my first period as national coach.”