David Moyes has said that Liverpool are favourites for their game with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, though the manager claimed that Brendan Rodgers's team have benefited from not playing in Europe this season.

Moyes's declaration that United are underdogs against Liverpool is the first time in a generation the Merseyside club have been billed as favourites by a manager of the 20-times champions. United's domination over their fierce rivals has secured them 13 titles since Liverpool won their last in 1990, with Moyes's predecessor, Sir Alex Ferguson, leading the club to all of these.

Asked if it was accurate to suggest Liverpool are favourites on Sunday, Moyes said: "It may well be. Their league position suggests they're ahead of us. They possibly do come here favourites."

Liverpool are 11 points better off than United and seven behind the leaders, Chelsea, who have played a match more. Yet Moyes claimed that Liverpool's fixture list at the opening of the season and the lack of continental competition has aided their campaign. The Scot previously complained about United's own start, which included playing Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in their first five matches, while Rodgers's side faced only United of the potential title contenders in the corresponding run.

Moyes said: "Liverpool and Brendan might have benefited from being out of Europe. Certainly this year we think it's been a big benefit. I think Liverpool were an improving side last year. A lot of people questioned it but I always felt they would be there or thereabouts.

"Their fixture list … gave them a great opportunity to start the season well. They've grown in confidence from that and securing [Luis] Suárez on a new contract has been a big boost for the club."

Despite his comments about Liverpool, Moyes, left, does not want United to miss out on continental competition. "I'm planning to be in Europe. I want to be in Europe and I'm planning to win the games to get in there," the Scot said.

After Liverpool, United hope to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Olympiakos in the Champions League before the Manchester derby on Tuesday. "Positive results would make a big, big difference if we could do that and we will try and do so. People could change their views. But I can only take one game at a time," Moyes said. "You know what we are. We are a work in progress. But I hope we can show what we are capable of in those games. We are capable of winning those games. The players have shown it to me recently. Definitely with the exception of Olympiakos game I think we have played quite well."

With 10 matches left Moyes is confident his side can have a successful end to the campaign. "I think Manchester United have always been in strong positions coming into the end of the season. We're maybe not in as strong a position as we'd like to be but I think in every other season they've been very good at this stage coming into the final furlong. We've got big games coming up this month."

A win over Liverpool would provide a welcome fillip. "It would be a big boost," Moyes said. "It would be an important three points. I think everybody knows the importance of Manchester United-Liverpool games. We've played them twice this year – once in the league and once in the cup. They've been tight games."

Moyes believes the match remains the nation's biggest game. "I think it is. There has been great history between the two clubs over a long period. It's the biggest club game in the Premier League," he said. "As I said before there has been great rivalry between the two clubs. Liverpool are having a very good season. They're our next game at home and we have to do all we possibly can to beat them.

"Every game of football is always important and any game that features Manchester United and Liverpool is a massively important game."

However Moyes is not interested in denting Liverpool's attempt to win a first championship in 24 years. "My biggest goal is not affecting their title challenge, my biggest goal is to get Manchester United winning the title," the manager said. "That is my goal and will be my goal every year I am in the job. Will it be to stop others winning the league? No that won't mean much to me. The important thing is us winning our games."