Liverpool host Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday with the fortunes of the 2 groups about as disparate as they’ve ever been within the Premier League period, however that does not make this weekend’s conflict a foregone conclusion.
Ruben Amorim will likely be hoping the absence of expectation on his United staff, added to the storied rivalry with Liverpool, can encourage his struggling prices to a well-known away win regardless of the 23-point hole within the desk to Arne Slot and his runaway title favourites.
With the most recent instalment within the fierce contest simply across the nook, listed below are 5 basic encounters from bygone occasions on the well-known Stanley Park floor that ought to whet the urge for food.
Liverpool 1-3 Man United, April 1997
There was no chasm in kind or high quality when the 2 sides met on the enterprise finish of the 1996-97 season. Sir Alex Ferguson’s United seemed prone to declare their fourth crown within the first 5 seasons of the Premier League, however Liverpool and Roy Evans had been very a lot a part of the chasing pack and had an actual likelihood to use some strain with a house win within the fourth final recreation of the marketing campaign.
Unfortunately for Evans and co., they bumped into an impressed efficiency from a sure David Beckham, simply weeks shy of his twenty second birthday. The proper midfielder delivered two pinpoint corners which had been powerfully met by Gary Pallister within the first half, both aspect of John Barnes’ header from a Liverpool brief nook.
The factors had been wrapped up by a youthful Andy Cole within the 63rd minute after Gary Neville scooped the ball previous the defender on the precise flank and looped a cross into the six-yard field. David James failed to say it, and Cole nodded dwelling to safe the three factors and certainly the title — United would go on to complete seven factors forward of Liverpool who ended up in fourth after a disappointing run-in.
Liverpool 2-0 Man United, January 2020
Icy situations greeted Ole Gunnar-Solskjaer’s staff at Anfield within the days shortly earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the Premier League (and certainly the world), with Liverpool steaming in direction of their first title since 1988 after a relentless begin to the season that had seen them win 20 of their first 21 video games and sitting fairly atop the desk.
The solely dropped factors to that stage had come at Old Trafford, and although a reverse towards their outdated foes was unlikely to derail the coronation for too lengthy, an announcement win towards them would add to the listing of superb scalps claimed by Jurgen Klopp’s males en path to the championship.
It was Liverpool’s massive stars who delivered: First, Virgil van Dijk leapt above 4 United gamers to nod Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s nook into the top-right nook and settle the unusually nervous ambiance round their dwelling floor. United’s efficiency considerably belied their Fifth-placed league place, threatening to revive parity on a variety of events. The greatest likelihood fell to Anthony Martial, who went by on objective solely to blast his one-on-one nicely over Alisson‘s objective.
It was left to Mohamed Salah to clinch the three factors, because the Egypt worldwide and talisman capitalised on United’s all-out-attacking method within the last moments to interrupt free from the defence and roll the ball below David de Gea earlier than tearing off his shirt in entrance of the Kop End.
Liverpool 3-3 Man United, January 1994
The second-ever Premier League recreation between the 2 groups at Anfield proved to be a barnstormer because the Reds pulled off a well-known comeback to earn a degree after a disastrous opening to the sport.
United sported an all black package for the event and received off to the best begin, with Eric Cantona’s fantastically weighted cross reaching Steve Bruce on the again put up earlier than he headed previous Bruce Grobbelaar within the Liverpool web. Ryan Giggs doubled that benefit 11 minutes later with an impudent chip over Grobbelaar from outdoors the field, shortly earlier than Denis Irwin slammed dwelling a free-kick to depart the house followers shell-shocked.
However, Liverpool hit again immediately to carry the temper inside the bottom by a Nigel Clough long-range effort that flew previous Peter Schmeichel into the underside nook. Defensive confusion amongst the boys in black took maintain within the thirty eighth minute because the ball bounced round their hazard space, with Clough as soon as once more the grateful beneficiary. His calm strike put the hosts inside attain after a rare first half.
Some semblance of normalcy returned within the second interval as Ferguson’s United held off wave after wave of Liverpool assaults within the hope of returning dwelling with a well-earned level — but they’d fall foul of considered one of Anfield’s nice cult heroes of the period. Neil “Razor” Ruddock, the centre-back identified greatest for his hardman tendencies and off-field eccentricity, rose highest to nod dwelling a cross from Stig Inge Bjornebye and provoke wild celebrations within the stands and on Graeme Souness’ bench alike.
Liverpool 1-2 Man United, March 2015
This version of the well-known recreation between England’s two most profitable golf equipment will likely be way more fondly remembered by United followers than these from the 30 or so miles west in Liverpool — notably for acolytes of a sure Steven Gerrard.
Both groups had been within the hunt for the highest 4 and Champions League soccer because the season entered its enterprise finish, with Louis van Gaal’s staff seeking to rejoin Europe’s elite following the disastrous marketing campaign below David Moyes the 12 months earlier than when Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool had been pipped to the title by Manchester City.
Juan Mata helped United earn an early lead, breaking onto a cross from Ander Herrera earlier than calmly slotting previous Simon Mignolet. Gerrard, who had began the sport on the bench, was launched at half-time having introduced already that the season could be his final season at Anfield after 17 years.
That emotion, nonetheless, appeared to get the higher of the legendary captain. After simply 38 seconds of play within the second half, Gerrard jumped over a late deal with from Herrera within the opening change earlier than stamping down on the Spanish midfielder, catching him together with his studs. Martin Atkinson confirmed him a purple card and United capitalised on the numerical benefit, with Mata executing an acrobatic scissor kick from Ángel Di María‘s dinked ball to render Daniel Sturridge’s later end a mere comfort.
The win moved United 5 factors forward of Liverpool, a lead they would not relinquish as they completed fourth.
Liverpool 7-0 Man United, March 2023
Erik ten Hag and his staff weren’t lengthy off the again of a Carabao Cup triumph once they arrived at Anfield in early 2023, although their buoyant temper would quickly flip to considered one of utter bemusement.
The first half was a comparatively even affair. Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford each spurned first rate alternatives at establishing a lead earlier than Cody Gakpo met Andrew Robertson‘s excellent cross with a deft end shortly earlier than the break.
That was the final time the sport would appear shut, with the floodgates nicely and actually opening instantly after the break when Darwin Núñez made it 2-0 within the forty seventh minute with a header. Salah as soon as once more reclaimed his function as United’s tormentor-in-chief of the fashionable period, first feeding Gakpo for one more clean strike earlier than getting on the scoresheet himself with a vicious end into the roof of De Gea’s web.
The counting quickly grew to become sophisticated. Núñez added one other together with his head from a Jordan Henderson cross, earlier than Salah took benefit of some calamitous defending to make it 6-0.
Aptly, the sport was rounded off by Roberto Firmino, who had shortly prior introduced that he would go away the Merseyside membership on the finish of the 2022-23 season. His close-range effort meant it was the most important margin of victory within the historical past of the fixture.
