Scholes says Man Utd's chief rivals will always be Liverpool and not Man City

Manchester United's prinicpal rivals remain Liverpool despite Manchester City's emergence as a Premier League force, according to Paul Scholes.

City have won three Premier League titles since their transformative Abu Dhabi takeover back in 2008, ending United's long-standing dominance in English football's top flight.

But Liverpool have improved under Jurgen Klopp and are level on points with City at the top of the table as they try and win a first league title since 1990.

And Scholes, who played 718 matches and scored 155 goals for United, believes the rivalry with Merseyside's reds is stronger than that with Manchester's blues.

'I think it's the biggest rivalry in English football,' Scholes told Sky Sports ahead of this Sunday's United vs Liverpool clash at Old Trafford.

'In a few years, if Man City carry on the way they are going, that [rivalry] might overtake it a little bit.'

United have won 20 English top-flight titles to Liverpool's 18 but the Merseyside club can close the gap this season.

'You'd expect the two Manchester teams to have the biggest rivalry, but I don't think it is,' added Scholes.

'I think it's the Liverpool-Man United thing, especially with Liverpool trying to get to United's record of league titles. We don't want them to do that.

'United vs Liverpool is a big, big game and Liverpool are going really well; so are United. Hopefully they'll beat Liverpool on Sunday.'

United go into the match with Liverpool in high spirits having beaten Chelsea 2-0 in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday night to continue their fine form under interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.