Louis van Gaal hopes Wayne Rooney can end his decade-long Anfield goal drought as he wondered whether a mental block has stopped his captain from scoring away at Liverpool.
Rooney is the third highest scorer in Manchester United's history, with 229 goals and has struck five times in his last six appearances.
But he has not found the net at Anfield since 2005 and a forward who has played for Liverpool's two major rivals, in Everton and now United, has only scored once in 10 visits there.
United manager Van Gaal believes footballers can have bogey grounds but is optimistic Rooney can finally find the net at Anfield.
"I had the same experience in the Netherlands as a manager," he said in a news conference. "A player has it also. It's strange because I'm not superstitious so we have to change that feeling also with Wayne.
"I have grounds where I never won as a manager or a player with a certain club. But then with another club I always won, for example. It's strange but it can be like this - and I hope I can change it with Wayne."
Van Gaal has pondered the question if his vastly experienced captain has a mental problem about playing at Anfield.
"It can be, it can be, I cannot deny that but I don't think that Wayne has a block of that," he added. "He's a very experienced player, he has played on all I think the grounds in the world so I don't think that he shall be influenced by the fans at by the stadium or something like that but Liverpool for Manchester United very easy ground that's true so - but now I'm the manager here maybe we can change that."
Van Gaal insisted he is not worried by bad omens, explaining: "I don't know any records for my players because I'm not superstitious I'm not looking for that so I think when we play like we have played against Tottenham then we have a great possibility to win."
United beat Liverpool 3-0 at Old Trafford in December but Brendan Rodgers' side have not lost a Premier League match since then as they have gone up to fifth in the table.
Victory would take them ahead of United but while Van Gaal feels the home side have a greater need for the three points, he does not believe a win for his side would end Liverpool's hopes of a top-four finish.
"It shall last to the end, I think and still we are very close," he said. "But it helps - and it helps a lot. It helps to continue for Manchester United because after a victory you need another victory to confirm what you have done against Tottenham.
"But Liverpool needs another victory after the loss against us. That was their last loss - in December - it's unbelievable. They have never lost again since. They've played more or less the same system since then - for 12 or 13 weeks."
Rodgers has reorganised Liverpool in a 3-4-2-1 formation but Van Gaal was quick to say he has used that shape in his career.
"It's not new," he said. "But have played it, I started with that system."