Paul Pogba believes Liverpool's titanic tussle with Manchester United on Sunday won't decide the title.
But the United midfielder admits he is expecting a "battle" when the Premier League champions entertain their bitter North West rivals.
United stand three points clear of Liverpool at the summit after Pogba's deflected goal earned a narrow 1-0 win at Burnley on Tuesday.
The France international was injured for both meetings between the sides last season and has featured in the fixture just three times, each occasion ending in a draw.
And of Sunday's game, Pogba said: “We know the story. We know it’s Liverpool. Everybody knows it.
"When you arrive in Manchester you know the story about Liverpool and Manchester United. We know it’s a big game.
"We know they’re second, they know we’re first. We know if we win we have six points (on them), everybody knows that.
”It’s not the game, yes it’s a game and it’s going to be a hard game. But I don’t think this game will decide the league. I know it’s going to make a difference, but it won’t decide the league.
“I know it’s an important game, but all the games are. We don’t have to make it too much about ‘ah it’s the game’. It’s Liverpool and when it’s Liverpool it’s always a big game.
“When you play at United there are always big games but this one is a battle. It’s going to be a battle.”
Speaking to the Manchester United official website, Pogba added: "We know it’s going to be tough, very, very difficult. We know it. Beautiful things don’t come easy, so we know we’re going to have to get through this.
"How much we want it, that’s the question because I think we can (do it).“
