“
The link between us and Liverpool is rivalry.
This is the reason why the matches between us are the most fantastic to play
”.
Sir Alex Ferguson's words of life perfectly illustrate a historic game in the sport.
A rivalry symbolized by an ancestral hatred which goes beyond, on many levels, the pure and simple framework of football.
Manchester Liverpool, the “England Derby”, the open-air theater of a fraternal confrontation between two towns separated by about fifty kilometers, is the most watched match in the world.
An exacerbated rivalry that has crossed the ages between two cities, two peoples, two clubs, that everything seems to oppose, except the disproportionate passion for football.
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Rivalry at all levels
The geographical proximity of the two cities, located in the north of England, has favored the emergence of a visceral rejection of the adversary.
A stylistic opposition in many ways, which has its origins in an economic and commercial conflict.
In 1894, the city of Manchester decided to turn away from the port of their neighbor, central place for Liverpool.
Renowned for its important cotton industry, Manchester regularly called "
Cottonopolis
»In the 19th century gained economic independence, thanks to the opening of a new canal, the Manchester Ship Canal, to transport a plethora of goods including cotton.
A choice guided by the desire to free themselves from the port taxes demanded by Liverpool and thus reverse the balance of power between the two cities.
A pivotal moment in their rivalry which has spanned generations.
“
Since that time, Mancuniens have been animated by a feeling of superiority with regard to the Scousers.
It probably has no basis, but it is our way of being and of seeing ourselves
, ”said Gerard Shamash, representative of the Manchester United Supporters Trust.
A painful episode for Liverpool, which highlights a perpetual desire of the two former agglomerations of Lancashire, to assert a certain supremacy within the territory. This trend is not lost on culture. Liverpool is symbolized by the Beatles, Manchester by Oasis or the Bee Gees. An opposition that slowly but surely arrived in football in the early 1960s. For their first clash on the green rectangle in 1895, Liverpool hit Manchester United with a resounding 7-1 beating. In 1964, Liverpool became champion of England under the leadership of the legendary trainer, Bill Shankly.
Manchester United striker Phil Chisnall will rally the defending champion and cause astonishment among die-hard Red Devils fans. Coupled with this, this year is characterized by the growing emergence of hooligans in the stadiums and accentuates this excess of violence around the controversial departure of Chisnall. A highlight that will have repercussions on the history of the rivalry, since it is the last direct transfer between the two enemy clubs. Subsequently, several players will evolve in both teams, but will go through an intermediate club, like Michael Owen and Paul Ince.
A major event in the construction of the biggest derby in England.
Until 1986, Liverpool established itself as the best club in the country, with 16 league titles gleaned.
Their Mancunian counterparts have 7 championships on the clock and are lagging behind.
The arrival of Sir Alex Ferguson in 1986 will propel Manchester, the West Derby into a new dimension.
Sir Alex Ferguson, the turning point for Manchester United
When Sir Alex Ferguson rallied Manchester and United in 1986, the Mancunians run desperately behind their championship crown since 1969. An eternity for a club of this standing, which lives in the shadow of its greatest enemy, at the top of its game, champion five times between 1980 and 1986. Even if the first steps of the Scots were not crowned with success, the former coach of Aberdeen quickly sent a strong signal to the flagship team of the moment. "
We're going to bring Liverpool down from their fucking perch."
"
A statement that allows the Scottish technician to offer himself a place of choice in the hearts of Manchester United supporters.
The tension between the two clubs will sharply increase after Ferguson takes office.
Rumors evoke the idea that clauses were inserted not to join the enemy club.
After a sluggish start, Ferguson gradually infused his management style into an entire club.
In 1993, Manchester United found the path to success and put an end to a 24-year food shortage without a title.
With 15 crowns, the Reds still have a considerable lead over their rivals, who have just been crowned for the eighth time in their history.
20 years later, Manchester United have 20 championships to their name and surpass Liverpool by two trophies.
Between 1990 and 2020, Liverpool did not win a single championship.
In the space of 27 years, Sir Alex Ferguson has literally turned the tide and restored the glory of a prestigious club.
Crowned with two Champions League titles in 1999 and 2008, the Scotsman has totally revamped Manchester United's image.
The perpetual debate between the two cities inevitably resurfaces around football to designate the best club.
Under Ferguson, and with Manchester's comeback, the “
only true England derby
” according to the Scotsman has become a cornerstone of the Premier League.
This meeting is the most followed in the world, with almost 600 million viewers in 211 countries.
Despite the departure, the tradition continues naturally, a rivalry that “
will never change
” revealed, the coach before retiring.
A shock marked by drifts
The animosity inherent in this duel caused many incidents both on the green rectangle and in the stands. The specialty observed for many years among the fans was to indulge in chants to evoke the human tragedies experienced by the opposing club. Liverpool supporters sang in reference to the tragedy in Munich in 1959 where Manchester United players, supporters and staff were killed in a plane crash. A nauseating practice shared by their Mancunian counterparts, since the supporters of the Red Devils referred in their songs to the tragedy of Hillsborough, where 96 supporters of Liverpool were killed after a violent stampede. Although their rivalry is extremely present,relations between the two big names in English football calmed down after the publication of an independent report in 2012. The document accuses the authorities in the Hillsborough tragedy.
Large groups of Manchester United fans have joined forces with the families of the victims.
In 2012, Sir Alex Ferguson and his troops participated in the commemoration of the drama at Anfield.
Steven Gerrard and Nemanja Vidic paid tribute to the 96 victims by throwing 96 red balloons into the sky.
A symbol to initiate the end of a disproportionate hatred to leave room for a rivalry on the ground.
On the green rectangle, the players have also committed actions that are beyond reason.
In November 2011, Luis Suarez is the author of racist remarks against Patrice Evra and is sanctioned with eight matches of suspension.
In the return match, Uruguay, visibly recovered, refuses to shake hands with Patrice Evra before the West Derby.
Eight years later, the Atlético Madrid striker will apologize in a letter to the Frenchman. In 2015, Steven Gerrard comes into play at halftime. The iconic captain of the Reds remains less than a minute on the lawn. Guilty of a dangerous gesture on Herrera, Steven Gerrard is sent back to the locker room and witnesses the victory of the sworn enemy on his land.
This Sunday, the two cars compete for the 203rd time in their history.
If the general record is in favor of Manchester United with 80 wins against 67 for Liverpool, the recent confrontations are clearly to the advantage of the proteges of Jürgen Klopp, unbeaten in the last 6 matches in the Premier League.
Regardless of the position and form of the match, the England Derby is a duel for the honor of a club, the supremacy of a city and the well-being of the supporters.
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