Jose Mourinho insists his Manchester United side have "lots of problems with physicality" and admits he has several injury-prone players.
United fell 19 points behind leaders Liverpool after a 3-1 defeat at Anfield on Super Sunday, meaning they are also 11 points off the top four after just 17 games.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, United manager Mourinho was brutally honest about which qualities his side are lacking, and used Liverpool's physicality and energy as an example of what to aim for.
"First of all, we have lots of problems related with physicality," said the United boss. "We have lots of players that I could consider 'injury-prones', because some of our players are always injured. And it's not with me, it was before me.
"If you look to the stats with Mr Van Gaal, and before him with David [Moyes], that period there were players that were permanently injured. When you are permanently injured, physicality is difficult to get. Then there are qualities that a player has, and doesn't have, you cannot improve and cannot make them have.
"I give you an example; Robertson, Mane, Salah, Wijnaldum, Keita, Fabinho, they are physical players. On top of that they are good players technically.
"I also have lots of good players technically, but we don't have lots of players with that intensity, with that physicality. So when the game has high levels of intensity, it is difficult for us."
When asked about which specific qualities his United side do possess, Mourinho instead referenced three of his former clubs.
"I think you like to say sometimes that it is the manager's choice; you can compare my Porto team with Liverpool. You can. Because the qualities of the players are there. It was my best team in defensive transition; we lose the ball, and we bite like mad dogs and recover the ball after seconds.
"At Real Madrid I had my best team in direct counter attack, because I had a young Di Maria, young Ronaldo, young Higuain and young Benzema. We killed everyone in the transition.
"And in Inter I had my best team in a defensive low block, where people like Materazzi, Walter Samuel, Lucio, Cordoba in the low block, you can be there five hours and don't concede a goal. Players make teams play in a certain way."
Despite the defeat, Mourinho would not criticise his players' effort, but did reserve most of his praise for Liverpool full-back Andrew Robertson, joking that he was still tired from watching him.
"The players gave everything, and when they give everything, I am never upset or frustrated with them, I have a good feeling towards them. They play in relation to their qualities, the same as the opponent played in relation to their qualities.
"[Liverpool] are fast, intense, aggressive, physical, they play 200 mph with the ball and without the ball. I am still tired just looking at [Andrew] Robertson. I think he makes 100-metre sprints every minute, and these are qualities.
"When the game was really intense in the first 20-25 minutes, it was difficult for us to cope with it."