The North West Derby : Past and present of the Manchester United vs Liverpool extravaganza
Manchester United vs Liverpool is possibly the biggest fixture in English football.

By armband -October 20, 20190


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One’s greatness strives the other for more excellence. Mutual respect is born which breeds hatred and hatred that escalates to a rivalry. A game forbidden for over five centuries saw no exception as the game of football has gifted us rivalries like no other. Dedication, Success, tragedy, descend, turn around, glory, all these are common between two clubs from neighbouring cities. Today we bring you the North-west Derby, it’s Manchester United vs Liverpool!
38 league titles, 9 European Cups, 1 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 4 Europa League, 1 FIFA Club World Cup, 19 FA Cups, 13 League Cups, 36 FA community shields are shared between two of the biggest English clubs in Liverpool and Manchester United. Along the way of picking up the medals and “Knocking them off the perch” this fixture became a blockbuster not only in England but in world football. But this North West Derby was not always about who has more silverware. It was, is, will be a battle of two industrial cities, a battle of Railway workers and Ship dock workers.

Also read: Manchester United vs Liverpool: Preview, Lineups, Betting Odds and TV Guide

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Late 18th century, England, the heartbeat of the industrial revolution. The black smokes of mills and freight trains signified the change in lifestyles of people coming to cities from rural areas to work. Manchester was the hub of the industries at that time. Early 19th century saw Liverpool emerge as another industrial belt from the northwest of England competing with Manchester. The major port area of Liverpool attributed them as the second biggest city of the British Empire. The same trend went off for the next century. When Manchester merchants funded a Manchester ship canal to uplift the business it was opposed by Liverpool politicians which ultimately shaped the rivalry between the two cities. The canal was built in 1894 and three months later the representative football clubs from the two cities met, Liverpool FC v Newton Heath L&YR FC. Liverpool won the game 2-0 and consequently, Newton Heath sank to the second division of English Football.

Liverpool won their first league championship in 1901. A steady showing earned them another league title 5 years later. The next season marked the return of Newton Heath to first division as Manchester United. In 1907-08 United won their first league title and the next season won the first-ever FA Charity shield. Liverpool were languishing mid-table.

After World War I, broke out football was on hold. Upon resumption in 1919 Liverpool won the league in back to back years. United was going through a rough patch and ultimately went down to second division in 1923. After the Second World War, Liverpool won the league again when it resumed but soon fell off to the second tier. Meanwhile United were on the up thanks to former Liverpool captain, Matt Busby. Under his management, United went on to register league titles, FA Cup and the Charity Shield.

Also read: Achievement Unlocked: Liverpool ace slams Guinness Book of World Records

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1958, 6th February, disaster struck as the aircraft carrying the team returning from Belgrade following a European cup match crashed in Munich. United lost 8 players and 3 supporting staffs. Amidst the mourning across the nation, Liverpool manager Bill Shankly offered 5 first team players and their wages to United for the rebuilding process, showing the world football is stronger than hatred.

Bill Shankly led Liverpool to a confrontation with the Busby Babes as the two clubs shared 4 league titles between them between 1964-1967. Following the Munich Disaster, United became the centre of the global attention but Liverpool’s continued dominance started after 1967 for 20 years notching up 11 league titles and 7 European trophies with the help of the “Boot Room” of Anfield. That home ground was a fortress with “You’ll never walk alone” sung by the faithfuls echoing through the ground setting up a spine-tingling atmosphere that is still intact in the present days.

The late 80s was the era that saw a rise in intensity in this rivalry. A Scottish was appointed as United manager in 1986 and things were never the same again. 1990 marked Liverpool’s last league title and after that, it was all about United. In his 26 years reign, United won 38 trophies. Alex Ferguson won 13 league titles knocking Liverpool off the perch in the process and after his retirement in 2013 United has still maintained a 20-18 lead in the league titles count. In this period of rivalry the hatred between the clubs escalated so much that even on International duties the players representing the two clubs never sat on the same table, this disdain was a key reason of England’s underachievement in the national stage despite having world-class talents throughout the squad.

Also read: Premier League: Four major things to look forward to from gameweek 9

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One can feel the hostility on the matchdays between these two as whistling, jeering, booing, echoes through the ground whenever an away player touches the ball. Wayne Rooney, an Evertonian turned Manchester red and Steven Gerrard from the Liverpool camp were always on the top of the hit lists of the opposing fans. Gary Neville circulated atop that list and was in the spotlight due to his fiery engagements with Carragher and Mcmanaman, the latter subjected to a headbutt by Neville in 2003 Manchester Derby resulting in a red card. In January 2006 Gary Neville celebrated a last gasp winner scored by Rio Ferdinand. Neville ran towards the away section while kissing the badge rilling up the Reds. Retrospective punishment of two-match ban was handed to the defender by the FA. Since then, Neville was welcomed to Anfield paired with howling noises and abuses from the crowd. Liverpool drubbed United 4-1 at Old Trafford in 2009 which reignited the title race, a game in which Reds captain Steven Gerrard scored from the spot and kissed the camera giving yet another iconic moment to the fixture.

Fights and red cards were a common occurrence as 16 red cards have been brandished in this fixture over the years, among those Steven Gerrard’s dismissal in 38 seconds after coming on as a half time substitute in 2015 at Anfield standout. But the racism row in 2012 summed up the animosity. In the Premier League fixture at Anfield Liverpool’s Luis Suarez racially abused United captain Patrice Evra, and upon scrutinizing video evidence, Suarez was found guilty and was banned for eight games. His first game back from the ban was at Old Trafford on February 2012. Suarez refused to shake hands with Evra before kickoff and as a result, Ferdinand and Danny Welbeck also refused to shake hands with the Uruguay star. United won 2-1 and Evra frantically celebrated in front of Suarez who needed to be separated by the referees.

Apart from the feisty nature, this fixture has produced many classic games between the two such as 1977 FA cup final at Wembley. United won 2-1 ending the treble hopes of Liverpool. Another classic encounter between the two in 1995 ended 2-2, a match that signified the return of Eric Cantona following his eight months suspension for his infamous ‘Kung-fu kick’. United opened the scoring through Nicky Butt just after 2 minutes of Kick-off. Liverpool came back and led thanks to a double from Robbie Fowler but it was Cantona who had the last say. Ryan Giggs was bought down in the box by Jamie Redknapp and Cantona converted the resulting penalty.

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