Through the Years – Manchester United vs Liverpool

Manchester United vs Liverpool. Is there a more anticipated fixture in the Premier League calendar?

Is, or was? Two sides that have had their ups and downs, but now, with Liverpool sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League with their North-West counterparts 15, yes, 15 points behind them after just eight matches, the stakes are maybe not as a high as they seemed.

But wherever the placings in the table, wherever the sides are at in terms of form, the fixture always provides a fire and nerve like no other on this planet.

In this three-part mini series I will be taking a look at how the fixture has evolved (only at Old Trafford, like this fixture coming) in the Premier League era and taking a look at certain games in their own contexts.

THROUGH THE YEARS – PART TWO – 2000’s

We went through the 1990’s and saw an effervescent domination on Mancunian shores. Liverpool failed to pick up a victory at Old Trafford in the final decade of the millennium, only picking up a combined three points between ’92 and ’99.

The embarking of the new millennium brought promise for both clubs. United, after dominating the early and mid 90’s had temporarily been knocked off their perch by a fashionable Frenchman, Mr Arsene Wenger, who had transformed Arsenal into a force to be reckoned with. After losing out in 1998, Alex Ferguson’s men bounced back with a treble win in 1999 and everything was coming up Milhouse for the Red Devils.

For Liverpool it had been more of a turbulent decade, but with Houllier at the wheel and a course of stability looking inevitable the Reds could look forward to potentially a more successful decade. They also had two young Scousers by the names of Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard in their ranks, as well as Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen.

The first meeting of the noughties at Old Trafford took place in the March of 2000. Liverpool managed to scrape a draw at the home of the champions, with Patrik Berger giving them the lead after 27 minutes with a stunning free-kick. A certain Ole Gunnar Solskjaer equalised on the stroke of half time, and the game would finish 1-1. Already a more positive start for the away side.

United were still a dominant presence in English football, but it was here that the pendulum seemed to sway the way of Houllier.

Later that year Liverpool finally did it. A name synonymous with this fixture who will pop up ever more in this piece, one Danny Murphy, was the man to win it for the Reds with a beautiful curling free-kick past Fabien Barthez.

The first three points the Reds had claimed at Old Trafford, and the side in Yellow that day wouldn’t have to wait long to replicate, or even duplicate the result.

December 2000. January ’02. April ’04.

Houllier’s men masterminded three wins in four seasons at Old Trafford, and not only did they not concede in any of the matches, each time winning 1-0, each goal came from midfield maestro Danny Murphy.

The goal in 2004 was particularly significant. 61 minutes, penalty kick. The latter clause in that sentence seems like bread and butter these days, but Liverpool’s penalty at Old Trafford in 2004, 12 years after the Premier League’s formation, was the first given to an away side against Manchester United. Must have taken some bottle, Mike Riley!

Between these three United did smash Liverpool 4-0, and proceeded to win the next four at Old Trafford as Liverpool moved into the Benitez era.

In these games United didn’t particularly rely on the typical goalscorers, including a double from Mikael Silvestre, and goals from Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown thrown into the mixer in 2-0 and 3-0 wins.

The United domination had returned as these years’ curtailed, with Mourinho’s Chelsea and Wenger’s Arsenal petering out when it came to title challenges and thus emerged Liverpool as perhaps United’s greatest challenger.

After winning the league in 2006, ’07 and ’08, as well as becoming European Champions in the latter, it seemed as if things were getting a bit easy for United. Liverpool were growing, with Rafa’s men finally ready to mount a title challenge.

Although the Reds lost out in the end in 2008/09, the most memorable moment had to be the 4-1 victory at Old Trafford.

Although United got off to a better start in the game, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his final goal against the Reds for the Red Devils from the penalty spot. Goals followed from Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard (with that iconic ‘camera kiss celebration), Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena to give Liverpool their greatest ever result at the Theatre of Dreams.

As the decade concluded, Liverpool were on the decline under the ownership of Hicks and Gillett, and United finished as Premier League champions for a 10th time in 2009.

Tomorrow in the final part of this three-part series leading up to the match, we will look at the most recent decade, and how both sides have peaked, plateaued, declined and rose in that time.