Van Gaal delights in comparison with Fergie

New coach Louis van Gaal has welcomed the challenge of trying to emulate the great Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and is confident his record of managing big clubs will stand him in good stead.

Ferguson won 38 trophies in 26 success-laden seasons at Old Trafford, but the task of following in his footsteps proved too much for his immediate successor David Moyes.

Moyes was fired in less than a season after breaking a host of unwanted records as United finished seventh in the Premier League campaign that ended in May.