Liverpool host arch-rivals Manchester United in the English Premier League for the first time under the floodlights in an expanded Anfield stadium marking the 197th meeting between the two on 17 October. Over the years, the rivalry among these heavyweights of English football has brought out the good, ugly and the best from the players who represented these clubs.
Reliving the historic rivalry, we present to you five of the legendary individual performances the world has witnessed in this grueling and captivating fixture, which has not yet lost its shine among club football rivalries.
#5 Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona was banned for eight months from football by the Football Association for his infamous ‘kung-fu’ kick on a Crystal Palace fan on 25 January 1995. The Frenchman returned to the fold against Liverpool in October 1995, scoring and assisting in a 2-2 draw, but it was in the 1996 FA Cup final between Manchester United and Liverpool that he truly made the difference.
With the deadlock still to be broken and the match ready to go to extra time, David James came forward to clear a Manchester United corner on 86 minutes, but could only punch the ball onto the path of Cantona who volleyed a sumptuous strike, which could have won any game, through a sea of players into the net.
This was not the best performance from Cantona against Liverpool, but this was a stark reminder of the quality the Frenchman possessed to be a decisive player in the big games and he proved it as this performance saw United lifting the FA Cup, completing the domestic double and cementing Cantona as one of the modern legends of Manchester United.
#4 Jimmy Greenhoff
Liverpool was a European force in the 1970s and Manchester United hadn’t had much success compared to their bitter rivals back then. On 21 May 1977, the two clubs met in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium with Liverpool primed to win the treble that season, chasing the league title, FA Cup, and the European Cup.
United meanwhile had another idea as they ended Liverpool’s treble dream by running out 2-1 winners at the final whistle.
After a goalless first half, United stormed ahead courtesy of Stuart Pearson’s strike on 51 minutes only for Jimmy Case to level the scores a couple of minutes later. On 55 minutes, Greenhoff scored the winner for United when he got in the way of Lou Macari’s shot that was never going to hit the target and deflected into the net off Greenhoff.
The attacker scored a brilliant goal in the semifinals of the same tournament a couple of years ago against the same opposition, sending United to the final.
#3 Mamadou Sakho
While the Liverpool-Manchester United fixtures are famous for the goals and goalscorers, Mamadou Sakho’s superhuman efforts in the Liverpool defence was something of a catalyst for Liverpool’s passage into the next round of the Europa League in 2016.
Liverpool drew with United in the last 16 of the Europa League, marking the duo’s first ever clash in Europe. Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners in the first leg at Anfield and came into the second leg confident of sealing the tie.
Anthony Martial put United in front early in the first half with the Red Devils often penetrating through the Liverpool defence. A second goal would have leveled the tie and would shift the momentum in United’s favour, but Sakho had other plans as the Frenchman stood firm against the flurry of United attacks time and time again.
Coutinho equalized for Liverpool deep into the first half and Sakho remained a colossal figure throughout the second half making 12 clearances, 3 blocks, 1 interception and winning 5 tackles, eventually seeing out the match 1-1 and Liverpool progressing to the next round.
Ironically, Sakho was wrongly suspended for finding positive in a drugs test after the match, but this performance was already etched into the memories of the Reds fans.
#2 Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough moved from Nottingham Forest to Liverpool in the summer of 1993 and debuted in style by scoring a brace against Sheffield Wednesday, but was demoted to the bench by the turn of the year thanks to the strike partnership of Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush. When Manchester United visited Anfield on 4 January 1994, Clough was included in the Reds’ starting eleven.
The match started in exactly the opposite fashion the Liverpool supporters hoped for as goals from Steve Bruce, Ryan Giggs, and Denis Irwin put United 3-0 front with just 24 minutes on the clock. The match looked as good as over for the home supporters when Clough drove home from 25 yards to restore some hope for the Reds.
Still not finished, Clough scored from close range on 38 minutes to reduce the deficit to one goal. The home crowd was brought to their feet on 79 minutes when Neil Ruddock headed home the equalizer, completing one of the greatest comebacks in the history of this legendary fixture.
#1 Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov’s Manchester United career was an inconsistent one with some good performances followed by matches in which he was completely at the periphery of the game. When Liverpool visited Old Trafford on 19 September 2010, the tall Bulgarian turned in arguably his best performance in a United shirt with a brilliant hat-trick savored by the fans.
Berbatov headed home from a Ryan Giggs corner late in the first half to give United the lead. On 59 minutes, the tall striker produced a brilliant piece of magic when he controlled the ball and hit an overhead kick that flew into the net beating the Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
Just as United looked to ease to a win, Liverpool rallied back with a Steven Gerrard brace that brought the match leveled at 2-2. The last laugh belonged to Berbatov who headed the winner from a John O’Shea cross with six minutes remaining, completing a sensational hat-trick in the process.
