Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has targeted a winning start in the Premier League after playing down his side's International Champions Cup success.

The Red Devils beat league rivals Liverpool 3-1 in the early hours of this morning to lift the pre-season trophy in Florida's Sun Life Stadium.

Asked what sort of advantage his side would gain from winning the cup, Van Gaal is quoted by the Daily Mail as saying: "Nothing. It's nice for the fans in the USA but also at home that we beat Liverpool. It's not our favourite opponent I think for Man United fans. We have given a lot of pleasure to these fans and that is very important.

"Of course it is better to win in pre-season than to lose. The most important game is Swansea at home in the first game, that's the one we have to win.

"It's better to win and maybe you have noticed in the media that first we beat Roma and then Inter Milan and then Real Madrid. It was not enough because now it was a test in the Premier League."

United round off their pre-season preparations with a home friendly against Valencia next Tuesday.