Liverpool F.C.–Manchester United F.C. rivalry

The Manchester United team at the start of the 1905–06 season

Manchester United F.C. was formed in Newton Heath in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR F.C., and played their first competitive match in October 1886, when they entered the first round of the 1886–87 FA Cup.[20]

Liverpool's team during its first season, 1892–93

Liverpool F.C. was formed in 1892 following a disagreement between the board of Everton and club president John Houlding, who owned the club's ground, Anfield. The disagreement between the two parties over rent resulted in Everton moving to Goodison Park from Anfield, and Houlding founded Liverpool F.C. to play in the vacated stadium. Liverpool supporters often sing the chant ' You should have paid the rent' to Everton fans during matches between the two sides, to reflect this.[21]

Liverpool's first season was in the Second Division in 1893. The team went undefeated all season, winning the title and being put up for election to the First Division, which would see them play a one-off test match against the bottom side of the First Division for their place. The team that Liverpool were to face was Newton Heath, whom they beat 2–0 to take their place in the first tier.[22]

Liverpool won their first Football League Championship trophy in 1901 and followed it up in 1906, the same season that saw the newly-renamed Manchester United promoted to the top flight after finishing as Second Division runners-up behind Bristol City. Two seasons later, by which time Liverpool had fallen into mid-table, Manchester United secured their first league title, winning the 1907–08 Football League nine points clear of Aston Villa and Manchester City. They followed this up by winning the first-ever FA Charity Shield match when they defeated Queens Park Rangers over two legs in 1908.[23] The following season, they won the 1909 FA Cup Final, and followed this up with another league title and Charity Shield in 1911.

The outbreak of the First World War disrupted domestic football, and following the resumption of competitions in 1919 Liverpool asserted themselves on domestic football with a brace of league Championships while United found themselves in steep decline that saw them relegated in 1923. Between 1923 and the outbreak of the Second World War, neither team won any more competitive trophies other than regional trophies, with Manchester United spending three separate periods in the Second Division.

A comparative chart showing yearly table positions of Manchester United F.C. and Liverpool F.C. in the English football league system from 1892–93 to the present

After the Second World War, Liverpool again became English champions in 1947 before the clubs' roles reversed once more, with the Merseysiders dropping into the second tier as Manchester United found stability under the management of former Liverpool captain Matt Busby, winning the FA Cup in 1948 and then three league titles and Charity Shields apiece in the 1950s. During this time, future Liverpool manager Bill Shankly was approached by then Liverpool chairman Tom Williams and asked, "How would you like to manage the best club in the country?". Shankly replied, "Why? Is Matt Busby packing it in?"[24]

Following Liverpool's promotion under Shankly in 1962, the two clubs found themselves in direct competition with each other for the first time, sharing four league titles between 1964 and 1967, as well as the 1965 FA Charity Shield. Following this, though, the two sides began to drift in opposite directions once more. United's title victory of 1967 would be their last for 26 years,[25] while Liverpool would enjoy nearly 20 years of sustained success, winning 11 league titles, 19 domestic cups and seven European trophies from 1972 to 1992.[26] United's main reprieves during this time came through cup competitions, such as their triumphs over the Merseysiders in the 1977 FA Cup Final and the 1979 FA Cup semi-final replay at Goodison Park. It was during this period, in the late 70s and early 80s, that the modern-day rivalry between the two clubs truly began to get heated. According to football sociologist John Williams, United had developed a "glamour and media profile" but didn't have the success to match it and Liverpool fans felt the Red Devils were "media darlings who got far too much publicity". There was a perception in Liverpool that their hugely successful but "professional" and "workmanlike" teams were always somehow in the shadow of the stars at Old Trafford. This led to a derisory United nickname in Liverpool: "The Glams".[27]

Manchester United's 26-year spell without a league title was replicated and exceeded by Liverpool from 1990 to 2020, during which time United dominated English football and won 13 league titles, 23 domestic cups and five European trophies.[26] Liverpool's success in domestic competitions such as the 2003 League Cup and 2006 FA Cup as well as European competitions like the 2005 and 2019 Champions Leagues allowed them some consolation during their league title dry spell, which finally ended in 2019–20.

Despite their contrasting fortunes, only seven times since 1972 have neither Liverpool nor United finished in the top two of the league table – in 1980–81, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17 and 2022-23 – and in six of those seven campaigns, silverware was still taken home by one of the two clubs; Liverpool paraded the European Cup and League Cup in 1981, while Manchester United lifted the FA Community Shield and FA Cup in the 2004 season and Liverpool claimed the Champions League in 2005. United brought home the FA Cup again in 2016 and they won a treble of trophies consisting of the Community Shield, League Cup and UEFA Europa League in 2016–17. United won the League Cup again in 2022-23, their first trophy in almost 6 years.[28][29][30][31]

If you are first you are first. If you are second you are nothing.

— Bill Shankly

While Liverpool and Manchester United's successes are almost identical in number, their systems of achieving these successes vary considerably. Liverpool built their dominance on a dynasty known as the Anfield Boot Room. The boot room itself was where strategy for future matches was planned, however, it became a breeding ground for future Liverpool managers following the arrival of Bill Shankly in 1959. The original members were Shankly himself, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett, although the likes of Kenny Dalglish joined later on.[32] Shankly laid down principles which subsequent Boot Room graduates retained and developed: the club adopted a back four sooner than most and played a game based on possession, pushing high and pressing.[33]

Following Shankly's retirement in 1974, having secured eight trophies in 15 years, Bob Paisley stepped into the vacant manager's position and amassed 20 trophies in nine seasons.[34] Following his retirement, Joe Fagan took over and in the first of two seasons at the club, won a treble of trophies. Kenny Dalglish was accepted into the group as the next in line for the role of manager, and he combined it with his playing duties to win Liverpool 10 trophies. The boot room connection was finally broken in 1991, 32 years after Shankly's arrival, with the appointment of former Liverpool player Graeme Souness, who demolished the original boot room itself to make way for a press room.[35] It did still manage to produce a final Liverpool manager in Roy Evans, who won the League Cup in 1995, but upon his resignation in 1998, the era was over. Liverpool have however gone on to achieve success with managers outside of the dynasty since then, most notably under Rafael Benítez, who won the UEFA Champions League in 2005, and Jürgen Klopp, who won it in 2019 before going on to win the club's first league title in 30 years in 2019–20. Klopp's gegenpressing strategy has been described as a modern development of the classic Liverpool style.[33]

My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their fucking perch, and you can print that.

— Alex Ferguson in response to an Alan Hansen comment in 2002[36]

By contrast, the vast majority of Manchester United's success has come in three eras in the club's history, under three different managers. Out of the club's 67 trophies, 56 were won under the management of Ernest Mangnall, Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson. Mangnall was the club's first great manager, securing five trophies within three years in 1908–11.[37] Following his departure to local rivals Manchester City a year later,[38] it was not until Busby's arrival 33 years later that the club would be on the trophy trail again. Busby became United's second most decorated manager of all time (ironically as an ex-Liverpool player and captain), winning 13 trophies at the club, including the 1968 European Cup, which saw an English team secure European football's top prize for the first time.[39] After Busby's retirement in 1969 though, Manchester United saw their fortunes slip and the club struggled to stay successful until Alex Ferguson's arrival 17 years later, during which time United only won three FA Cups and two Charity Shields. It was only under Ferguson that United regained their glory days, winning 38 trophies during his 26-year tenure to scale the pinnacles of both English and European football.[40]

A mate owned a [Manchester United captain] Bryan Robson top. We were kicking about, and I asked if I could be Robbo for a while. My dad looked out and went ballistic. He wasn't having his kid dragging the Gerrard name through the gutter. I thought we'd have to move!

— Steven Gerrard

The rivalry has extended to the players as well: Wayne Rooney, a product of Liverpool's city rivals Everton who played for United from 2004 to 2017, described how he grew up hating the Reds (Liverpool),[41] while Liverpool's Steven Gerrard took a film crew on tour of his home where he showed off a collection of football shirts he had swapped with opposing players as part of the after-match routine; he pointed out that there were no Manchester United shirts in there and he would never have one of them in his house. Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James said: "I could never say I hated any United players just for being United players... But the rivalry became a habit, I suppose; on England trips Liverpool lads would eat at one table, United boys at another. There was tension there and we avoided one other". Liverpool defender Neil Ruddock once broke both of United forward Andy Cole's legs in a reserve match, later saying that "I didn’t meant to break both legs, I only meant to break one... I absolutely destroyed him... I know it's not big and it's not clever but it was great".[42]

Manchester United's Gary Neville has been vocal about his dislike of Liverpool. He notably drew the ire of Liverpool fans during the 2006 match at Old Trafford when he celebrated Rio Ferdinand's last-gasp winner[43] by running to the stand where the away fans were seated while kissing the crest on his jersey and appearing to shout angrily towards them; he was fined and given a two-match ban by The Football Association but has stated on several occasions that he has never regretted his actions.[44][45][46] Neville was regularly subjected to offensive chants from Liverpool supporters afterwards. In a Manchester derby during the 2003–04 season, Neville was sent off after attempting to headbutt Manchester City's ex-Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman; as Paul Scholes commented, "It's fair to say the pair of them never got on too well together".[42] In a retrospective special leading up to the January 2017 match at Old Trafford, Neville and his fellow Monday Night Football pundit and retired Liverpool one-club man Jamie Carragher both acknowledged that it was not uncommon for both United and Liverpool players, particularly locally born youth academy graduates such as Bury-born Neville and Merseyside natives Gerrard and Robbie Fowler, to celebrate in front of rival fans and that "you just got to take it on the chin".[46] Neville hinted that the rivalry is as much about shared values when criticising both clubs' involvement in the aborted European Super League in 2021: “I value the history and tradition that runs through those … clubs. … I don’t like them, they don’t like me, but you know one thing I always thought about them? They were honest, they had integrity, they would look after their people; they would look after their own.”[47]

I can't stand Liverpool, I can't stand the people, I can't stand anything to do with them.

— Gary Neville

In the 2011–12 season's first league meeting of the season at Anfield, United defender Patrice Evra accused Liverpool striker Luis Suárez of racially abusing him. After considering the evidence, an FA panel found that Suárez had referred to Evra using the term "negrito" seven times (Suárez himself admitted to having done so once, but denied racism); he was banned for eight games. This included the FA Cup fourth-round tie between the two clubs (again at Anfield), which Liverpool won. 24 hours after Suarez was found guilty of racial abuse, the Liverpool players and manager wore shirts to support Suárez.[48] On 11 February 2012, United and Liverpool met again at Old Trafford, and Suárez played for Liverpool for the first time since his ban. Before kick-off, the two teams were expected to shake hands, but Suárez ignored Evra's offered hand and moved onto the next United player in line, David de Gea. The player after De Gea, Rio Ferdinand, then rejected Suárez's handshake.[49] United went on to win 2–1 and Evra celebrated in front of the home supporters, with Suárez close by. Sir Alex Ferguson declared Suárez to be a "disgrace" and suggested that he should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again. Kenny Dalglish denied having seen the missed handshake.[50] The following day, Suárez, Dalglish and Liverpool all issued statements of apology for the handshake incident, which United accepted.[51] Liverpool's vice-captain for the 2011–12 season, Jamie Carragher, apologised to Evra in 2019 for wearing shirts in support of Suarez, saying '"There's no doubt we made a massive mistake. I'm not lying on that and saying I wasn't part of it because as the club we got it wrong and I was vice-captain. I'm not sure who was actually behind it.[52] Similarly in 2020 Jordan Henderson, a young Liverpool player at the time of the incident who went on to captain the club, stated in an interview for a BBC documentary on football and racism that he was "not sure the club or everybody dealt with it in the best way. From a player point of view, our mindset was on Luis and how to protect him, but really we didn't really think about Patrice. I think that's where we got it wrong from top to bottom".[53]

Michael Owen is the most recent player to play for both clubs.

Since the 1964 transfer of Phil Chisnall from United to Liverpool, no player has been transferred directly between the two clubs.[54] Some players, however, have played for both clubs but played elsewhere between each tenure, such as Paul Ince (playing for Inter Milan in between), Peter Beardsley (Vancouver Whitecaps and Newcastle United) and more recently Michael Owen (Real Madrid and Newcastle United). Although Beardsley only played once for United, he went on to be a key player during his four years at Liverpool.[55]

In 2007, there was a bid from Liverpool to sign Gabriel Heinze from United, but United refused to allow him to join their biggest rivals due to the ongoing feud. United claimed that it was agreed Heinze would only join a foreign club if he chose to leave.[56] Heinze went public with his request to join Liverpool which was seen as the ultimate betrayal by the Manchester United fans. The Manchester United fans who once chanted "Argentina" in honour of the player then turned their backs on him. Heinze was eventually sold to Real Madrid instead. In 2019, after Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović left Los Angeles Galaxy, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said that he might have considered signing Ibrahimović had he not previously played for Manchester United.[57]

With the rise of football hooliganism across English football during the 1970s and 1980s, matches between the two clubs brought some minor and major incidents of hooliganism. Since then, the modern game has seen a decrease in violence between the rival supporters and incidents are fairly uncommon. This is more likely due to an increase in Police presence and CCTV with huge steps taken to keep the fans separated. To this day, both sets of fans still hold resentment toward each other. As well as physical violence, sections of the clubs' fan bases often taunt each other with unsavoury chants about the Munich air disaster and the Hillsborough disaster respectively.

At the 1996 FA Cup Final, an unidentified Liverpool fan spat at Eric Cantona and threw a punch at Alex Ferguson as a victorious Manchester United team walked up the steps at Wembley Stadium to collect the trophy from the Royal Box.[71]

The 2006 FA Cup match at Anfield featured foreign objects thrown at United fans by Liverpool supporters, including human excrement.[72] Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final game against Chelsea at Old Trafford later that year also resulted in damage to the stadium, including graffiti about serial killer Harold Shipman.[73]

In March 2011, an FA Youth Cup game between the two clubs was marred because of "sick chants" about Hillsborough and Heysel coming from the Manchester United fans at Anfield. Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge was at the game and told the Liverpool Echo that "the level of abuse was absolutely sickening".[74]

In March 2016, before Liverpool's first leg tie at Anfield against Manchester United, it was reported that a group of Liverpool fans hung a "Manc Bastards" banner on the M62, as 2,300 Manchester United supporters made the trip to Anfield.[75] It was confiscated by the police, shortly after. Liverpool won the match 2–0.

Before the second leg tie at Old Trafford, Liverpool fans were greeted with a banner on the M62 motorway in Salford that said 'murderers' and also had the Hillsborough disaster date on it. UEFA took no disciplinary action against Manchester United.[76] During the same game, there were reported crowd disturbances, coming from the Manchester United end.[77] It was later reported that a Liverpool supporter snuck a Liverpool banner into the United section, aggravating United supporters in the stands.[78] Liverpool supporters ripped out seats, and supporters threw objects at each other, also fighting with United supporters. Liverpool were fined £43,577 by UEFA for setting off flares and fireworks in the crowd, as well as the singing of "illicit chants", while Manchester United were fined £44,342 for illicit chants and the throwing of objects.[79] £15,290 of each club's fine was suspended for two years. The match was drawn 1–1 and Liverpool progressed to the quarter-finals against Borussia Dortmund.

In August 2022, ITV reported that some Manchester United fans attacked a bus en route to Old Trafford, in the belief it was transporting the Liverpool team or fans; it was actually carrying children who supported Manchester United.[80]

The first-ever meeting between both clubs came in a Football League test match in 1894, a post-season series to determine who would receive First Division membership for 1894–95. As Newton Heath finished bottom of the First Division at the end of 1893–94, they had to play off against the champions of the Second Division, Liverpool. Liverpool won the tie 2–0 at Ewood Park in Blackburn, earning them First Division membership and condemning Newton Heath to the Second Division.

In 1977, the two clubs met in a cup final for the first time, when they reached the final of the FA Cup. The two clubs took to the field at Wembley on 21 May, with Liverpool having just won the league title, knowing that winning this game would put them on course for a unique treble as they had the European Cup final to look forward to four days later. However, United ended Liverpool's treble dreams with a 2–1 win, with goals from Stuart Pearson and Jimmy Greenhoff, five minutes apart with a Jimmy Case goal for Liverpool in between.

Six years later, on 26 March 1983, the two sides met for the Football League Cup final. Goals from Alan Kennedy and Ronnie Whelan won the game 2–1 for Liverpool, after Norman Whiteside had given United the lead. Liverpool collected the trophy for the third year in succession. It was the last of Liverpool manager Bob Paisley's nine seasons in charge (during which Liverpool had dominated the English and European scene) before his retirement, and his players allowed him to climb the 39 steps to collect the trophy from the Royal Box.[81]

On 4 April 1988, Liverpool were 11 points ahead at the top of the league and almost certain of winning the First Division title with barely a month of the league season remaining. United, in their first full season under the management of Alex Ferguson, were their nearest rivals. The two sides took to the field for a league encounter at Anfield and with the second half just minutes old the home side had a 3–1 lead with goals from Peter Beardsley, Gary Gillespie and Steve McMahon, with United's only goal coming from Bryan Robson. Robson then pulled a goal back for United, and with 12 minutes remaining fellow midfielder Gordon Strachan equalised to force a 3–3 draw.[82]

On 4 January 1994, in the second season of the new Premier League, United took a 3–0 lead at Anfield in the opening 25 minutes with goals from Steve Bruce, Ryan Giggs and Denis Irwin. Liverpool managed to claw back to draw 3–3 with two goals from Nigel Clough and another from Neil Ruddock. It was one of the last games in charge of Liverpool for manager Graeme Souness, who had resigned by the end of the month.[82]

On 1 October 1995, United's Eric Cantona made his comeback to the side after serving an eight-month suspension for attacking a spectator in a game against Crystal Palace. His comeback game was against Liverpool in the Premier League at Old Trafford. United took an early lead through Nicky Butt, only for Liverpool's Robbie Fowler to score twice and give the visitors a 2–1 lead. However, United were awarded a penalty in the 71st minute and Cantona converted it successfully, forcing a 2–2 draw.[82] At the end of the season, the two sides met again at Wembley for the FA Cup final. The game stayed goalless until the 85th minute, when Liverpool conceded a corner, which David Beckham swung into the box to be cleared by David James, only for Eric Cantona to fire home United's winner.[83] In March 2003, the two clubs once again met in a cup final, this time in the League Cup, with Liverpool lifting the trophy after goals from Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen gave them a 2–0 win.[84]

On 14 March 2009, the two sides met at Old Trafford in the Premier League. United were ahead at the top of the league and Liverpool were looking to make a late run to the title which had eluded them since 1990. United went ahead in the 23rd minute with a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty, but Fernando Torres equalised five minutes later for Liverpool, and a Steven Gerrard penalty just before half-time put Liverpool in the lead. United had Nemanja Vidić sent off in the 76th minute, and their misery was swiftly compounded by late goals from Fábio Aurélio and finally Andrea Dossena, condemning them to a 4–1 defeat, their heaviest at Old Trafford in any competition for 17 years.[85] Despite the loss, Manchester United were crowned league champions for the third season in succession and equalled Liverpool's 18 league titles,[86] with Liverpool finishing four points behind in second.[87]

The league fixture on 11 February 2012 was marked by controversy regarding Liverpool striker Luis Suárez refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra, following an eight-match suspension for racially abusing Evra in the previous meeting between the sides.[88][89] Following the 2–1 victory for United after a brace from Wayne Rooney, Evra in turn controversially celebrated right in front of Suárez, and was swept aside by opposition players finding the gesture provocative.

In the 2015–16 season the famous rivals faced each other for the first time in their long histories on the European stage, in the round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League. Liverpool won the tie 3–1 on aggregate with a 2–0 victory at Anfield on 10 March 2016[90] and the sides drawing 1–1 at Old Trafford on 17 March 2016.[91][92] Liverpool would go on to reach the final, losing 3–1 to the tournament's perennial winners Sevilla.[93]

On 24 October 2021, Manchester United suffered their heaviest ever home defeat to Liverpool, as a Mohamed Salah hat-trick—the first by a Liverpool player at Old Trafford since Fred Howe in November 1936, and goals from Naby Keïta and Diogo Jota gave Liverpool a 5–0 win in the 2021–22 Premier League.[94][95] Salah's hat-trick was the first scored by an away team at Old Trafford since Ronaldo's in April 2003 and the first hat-trick scored there by an away team in the Premier League.[96]

On 5 March 2023, Liverpool recorded their biggest ever competitive win against Manchester United with a 7–0 victory at Anfield. Cody Gakpo, Darwin Núñez, and Mohamed Salah all scored a brace with Roberto Firmino adding on a seventh. This surpassed their previous record set in October 1895, a 7–1 victory in the Second Division. This was also Manchester United's joint-biggest ever defeat and the heaviest since Wolverhampton Wanderers beat them by the same scoreline in 1931.[97][98]

As of 26 February 2023

As of 5 March 2023[1]

The below table demonstrates the competitive results between the two sides (not indicative of titles won).

Following the creation of Manchester United W.F.C. in 2018, the rivalry has now appeared in women's football as matches between the sides are now possible. Liverpool F.C. Women was created in 1989.