Manchester United boss, Louis van Gaal, has said his club will always be bigger than Tottenham after he was asked if he regretted not taking the Spurs job.

United have been left to play catch-up in the race for Champions League qualification after their defeat to Tottenham yesterday sees them trail Manchester City by four points with six games remaining.

Tottenham's progress under Pochettino has been one of the stories of the season but it could easily have been van Gaal sitting in the home dugout given the Dutchman was chairman Daniel Levy's first choice to take over in the summer of 2014.

Asked if he regretted his decision to overlook the job in North London, Van Gaal said: "In the balance, we are still ahead. The challenge is always bigger in a bigger club.

"I like also to sign for Tottenham Hotspur. Daniel Levy knows that. But the challenge was bigger at Manchester United and shall always be bigger.

"I am sorry for Tottenham but Manchester United will always be the bigger club.

"I think it is a little bit pathetic that you ask that because they have won 3-0. It is easy to ask that but it is okay, you enjoy yourself."

This was the eighth consecutive match United have failed to score more than one goal and while Wayne Rooney is to continue his recovery from a knee injury with the club's under-21s today, Van Gaal was cautious about the striker's sharpness.

"We have to wait and see if that is the case," Van Gaal said.

"He shall play on Monday 60 minutes. We will see how he is doing because he is more than two months out of the game.

"Of course he is a great striker but he has to show already if he is in certain shape. It is always like that."