Jose Mourinho claims Manchester United having “nothing to prove” in Saturday's showdown with arch rivals Liverpool.
The Anfield trip is United's first real test of the Premier League campaign, with Mourinho's side level on points with neighbours Manchester City - who are ahead on goal difference - at the top of the table.
But Mourinho tried to play down the significance of the clash with Jurgen Klopp's side, saying it is far too early in the season to be considered a decisive fixture in terms of the title race.
“It's for three points, not four,” said Mourinho. “Maybe if we were in a moment of the season where it was a duel between two teams it would mean more, but it's not the case.
"At the same time, in these kinds of matches, every single moment plays a part. We are playing against a good team with very good players.
"This is Press talk or pundit talk - 'We have something to prove, Lukaku has to score, we have to win [is what they say]'.
"We have to prove nothing. We have our objectives for the season, we know where we want to go and how we have to go.
"One match, one result, one performance - that's not going to change anything."
United ground out a 0-0 draw at Liverpool last season, shutting the game down in what was a turgid encounter, but Mourinho claims they are a better team now than the last time they visited Anfield.
“I think we are a better team,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “You can say, like some people do, we have not played one of the top five teams but last season we did not beat West Ham at home, last season we did not beat Everton at home or Southampton away.
“Globally we are a better team, does that mean we are going to be as successful as last season, winning two titles? I don’t know. But we are better.”
On facing Liverpool, a team against who he has a fierce rivalry, stretching back to his first spell at Chelsea, Mourinho said: "I like to play against the best teams, I like to play against the best clubs and I like to play at the best stadiums - the stadiums with more history.
“At Anfield I've had great moments and I've had bad moments. They've had happiness against me, they have had very sad moments against me.
"[Now] if they respect me as much as I respect them, we are going to have another one of those matches."