There are many bitter rivalries in the world of football, and in England there are several cities that have derby matches between city rivals. Manchester has the derby between United and City, while Liverpool has the Liverpool-Everton derby.

However, the bitterest of rivalries in English football is perhaps that between two rivals who are not within the same city but are near neighbours and who both claim to be the most successful and most dominant clubs in English football, Manchester United and Liverpool.

Domestic bliss

Liverpool have been champions of England a record eighteen times compared to United’s sixteen, although Red Devils’ fans will tell you that the Liverpudlians have never won the re-named English (currently Barclays) Premier League. Liverpool, in fact, haven’t been champions since 1990, while the Mancunians have won the Premier League nine times – including a very rare hat-trick of triumphs between 1999 and 2001.

Liverpool have also achieved that feat, between 1982 and 1984. Liverpool were the first to be crowned champions, way back in 1901, while United had to wait another eight years for their first Championship. Liverpool, incredibly, have also been runners-up eleven times.

United have the upper hand in the FA Cup, with eleven trophies and eighteen appearances in the final compared to Liverpool’s seven wins in thirteen finals. The Merseysiders have, however, won the League Cup a record seven times and appeared in ten finals, and can therefore claim to have won fourteen domestic knockout competitions; United have only won League Cup trophies in 1992 and 2006, and been losing finalists on four occasions.

Liverpool have also won a knockout trophy most recently, winning the FA Cup in 2006, while United last won the FA Cup in 2004. Additionally, Man U have won twelve Charity Shield or Community Shield matches and shared four trophies while Liverpool have won ten and also shared five trophies.

Europe’s finest

Liverpool really have the edge in Europe, though, having been champions of Europe five times compared to United’s two wins in 1968 and 1999. And again, Liverpool can claim more recent success after their UEFA Champions League victory in 2005 added to their triumphs in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1984. Liverpool also have a greater collection of other European trophies, having won the UEFA Cup in 1973, 1976 and 2001, and the European Super Cup in 1977, 2001 and 2005, while United has only collected a single European Cup Winners Cup and one European Super Cup, both in 1991.

United also won the now defunct Intercontinental Cup in 1999 – a feat that the Scousers have never achieved, having been runners-up on three occasions. Liverpool have played in eleven European finals in all, having been twice runners-up in the European Cup or Champions League and losing finalists in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1966. United have never lost a European final but have lost nine semi-finals.

Liverpool have won the double of the League title and the FA Cup once, in 1986, and have won two trebles: the League title, League Cup and European Cup in 1984 and the ‘Cup treble’ in 2001 when they won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup. United won the domestic double in 1994 and 1996 and then in 1999 went one better by winning the League title, the FA Cup, and the Champions League.

The here and now

When it comes to size, United have the money, the fan-base and the stadium. United have the largest sponsorship deal in football history, collecting over 56 million pounds over four years from shirt sponsors, AIG. United also have the largest club stadium in British football, Old Trafford, which currently holds just over 76,000 people. Liverpool’s Anfield, by comparison, cannot compete, holding around 45,000, and so the club have plans to relocate and build a new, bigger stadium to generate more much-needed income.

For many Stretford Enders, the present day is what’s most important, and so Man U are at the top of the tree, being the current Barclays Premier League Champions. Liverpool, meanwhile, finished 3rd last season, while United are again several points ahead of them and in the running to retain the title.

To add to that, United also progressed further in the FA Cup, with Liverpool being eliminated in the fifth round, and Man U in the quarter finals. Both teams have reached the knockout stage in the Champions League this season, with Liverpool set to play Arsenal in the quarter finals next month. Liverpool fared better in the event last season, losing in the final while United went out in the semi-finals.

The two teams have met 174 times in all, with United winning 67, Liverpool 57, and 50 matches drawn. However United have won four of the last five meetings, including the last three with Liverpool’s last win being a 1-0 victory at Anfield in the FA Cup in February 2006.

© Andy Wray, British Council Thailand and Bangkok Post

Sources

Wikipedia – Liverpool FC (retrieved 24 February, 2008)
Wikipedia – Manchester United FC (retrieved 24 February, 2008)
Wikipedia – Football Rivalry: Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC (retrieved 24 February, 2008)
United in the European Cup (retrieved 26 February, 2008)

What do you think?

Who will finish higher in the Barclays Premier League next season, Manchester United or Liverpool? Why?