'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Liverpool and Manchester United are the fiercest of rivals, with both clubs willing to do anything to derail each other's seasons. This season, the Reds are fighting for the Premier League title and with a trip to Old Trafford looming on Sunday, this could be the most significant game between the pair in a decade or so.
United have had an incredible resurgence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, winning almost every game they have played since the managerial swap. It was against Liverpool when Jose Mourinho managed his final game before getting sacked, giving a little more meaning to this match as if it didn't already have it in abundance.
The players of both clubs will be hard in battle on the pitch, fighting for every ball and giving everything to come out victorious in this titanic clash. However, there have been quite a few instances where today's rivals were yesterday's friends. Many pairs of players from Liverpool and Manchester United were teammates at different clubs earlier.
It is fascinating to see the different types of teams some of these players had in common. Here are five pairs of current rivals who played together at some time in the past.
#5. Fabinho and Anthony Martial (AS Monaco)
AS Monaco are struggling in Ligue 1 at the moment, but it was just a few years ago when they were dominating France and having a real go in Europe. They had a solid team filled with great players, some of them who are currently lighting up the world stage.
Two of them include current Premier League stars. Anthony Martial and Fabinho were teammates at Monaco for a couple of years, from 2013 to 2015. The Brazilian was merely on loan at the French club at that time.
Martial joined Manchester United on transfer deadline day for £36 million, a questionable fee at the time but one that has been completely justified. The Frenchman scored a blinding solo goal on his debut against (you guessed it) Liverpool and became a key player at Old Trafford in the next couple of years. Fabinho stayed at Monaco until last summer, when he moved to Anfield for a similar fee. He has been doing pretty well for Liverpool so far and is one of the first names on the Klopp's team sheet now.
#4. Dejan Lovren and Luke Shaw (Southampton)
Dejan Lovren can be somewhat of a controversial figure right now, with the bold statements he makes and the occasional blips in his game. However, He was highly regarded when he signed for Liverpool from Southampton. The Croatian spent a solitary yet highly successful season at St Mary's.
Current United left-back Luke Shaw was also part of the Saints in 2014. They finished 8th in the Premier League before the big clubs came to raid them, signing most of their best players.
Lovren left that season itself and has had a roller-coaster of a career so far at Anfield. Shaw simultaneously moved to Manchester United, where he suffered a terrible leg break before slowly growing back into the team. He is now a much more regular figure in United's team. Lovren, on the other hand, is now a backup to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for Liverpool. However, he has been better than Liverpool's other signings from Southampton that summer, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert.
#3. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Alexis Sanchez was pretty close to joining Liverpool from Barcelona in 2014, in a reversal of Luis Suarez's move to the Camp Nou. However, he ended up choosing Arsenal and it all worked out in the long run at Anfield, with the current line of forwards they have. The Reds did move for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017, getting their man and slowly integrating him into the side.
He was a key player for Liverpool before a knee injury sidelined him for a while. He and Sanchez have different stories of their times at Liverpool and Manchester United respectively.
Chamberlain and Sanchez played together at Arsenal from 2014 to 2017, with both of them moving within six months of each other. They won two FA Cups together at the Emirates before moving to seemingly greener pastures. While the Ox has been thriving, knee injury aside, Sanchez has been struggling at Old Trafford. Even Solskjaer is unable to unlock the beast that he has shown to be in the past. Their attitudes could not be any more different at the moment, with one being motivated as ever and the other not so much.
#2. James Milner and Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
This pair of former teammates go back the furthest to a decade ago. Ashley Young signed for Aston Villa in 2007 from Watford, while James Milner joined them in 2008 from Newcastle United. The pair of Englishmen would astonishingly enjoy two extremely successful seasons at Villa Park together and even picked up some individual honors along the way.
Young won the 2009 PFA Young Player of the Year and Milner won the same in 2010. These two were integral in two consecutive sixth-place finishes for the Villains. After Milner left for Manchester City that year, it was no surprise that Villa dropped way down.
Young followed him to Manchester, where he still plays till this very day. Milner won a couple of Premier League titles at the Etihad before moving to Liverpool on a free transfer, where his experience is greatly appreciated. Both of these players are still going strong, with Young being a big contributor to England in their World Cup 2018 run and Milner being a constant effective presence in Liverpool's midfield. While they might not play on Sunday, this just shows their longevity for being able to keep up at the top of the Premier League ten years after first showing their promise.
#1. Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata (Chelsea)
Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata were only teammates at Chelsea for one and a half years, but they formed a pretty prolific partnership with each other pretty quickly. Sturridge was the key striker under Andre Vilas-Boas and had new Blues signing Mata right behind him.
The striker's effect would wane as Roberto Di Matteo came in and Didier Drogba being vastly favored over him. He still won the FA Cup and Champions League in 2012, alongside the Spaniard. Sturridge struggled during the following season as well and decided to leave Chelsea for Liverpool in January 2013.
Mata had a similar experience the following season as he fell out of favor under Jose Mourinho and joined Manchester United in January 2014. Funnily enough, the former Valencia and Chelsea man became a key player under Mourinho at Old Trafford. Sturridge has had an up-and-down time at Liverpool, proving himself as a lethal frontman but one who was plagued with injuries.
That ruined his momentum following Suarez's departure and his Liverpool career seemed dead. But now, he is still here and could potentially play a part in Liverpool's current Premier League title challenge.
The Reds face their biggest test in this crazy season so far on Sunday, but will they leave Manchester with flying colors?
