Manchester Utd manager Louis van Gaal shockingly claimed that midfielder Marouane Fellaini was one of United's best players in the 2-0 Europa League defeat to Liverpool on Thursday night.

The Belgian international, who has recently recovered from an injury, was playing in his first game for over a month and struggled against Liverpool's midfield trio of Emre Can, Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana.

Fellaini could also face a retrospective ban from UEFA for his elbow on Emre Can during the game but was still praised by his manager for an impressive display.

After the game, the Dutchman said: "I haven't seen [the elbow incident] but I have to say that Fellaini was one of the best players on the pitch."

Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Frirmino scored either side of the break to dampen United's hopes of moving through to the quarter-finals of Europe's second tier club competition.