The North West derby is probably the most eagerly anticipated game in English football between two giants – Manchester United and Liverpool.
English football has many derby matches, all of them filled with passion. Bragging rights throughout the year revolve what happens in the home and away ties between the two local sides. The big ones are the Manchester derby, the Merseyside Derby, the North London Derby and the Birmingham Derby. There are a lot of others and although not as mouth-watering to the neutral as those listed above, they are every bit as important to the supporters involved.
In addition to local derbies, there are other matches that invoke intense rivalry even though the clubs are not that close geographically. One of the lesser known ones is Crystal Palace and Brighton, two clubs separated by more than 40 miles but who have an intense dislike for one another.
The biggest one by far though is the North West derby, probably the most eagerly anticipated game in English football between two giants – Manchester United and Liverpool.
The rivalry between both sets of supporters is world famous, although sadly both clubs have a lunatic fringe and on occasions tempers have boiled beyond what is acceptable. A punch was thrown at Sir Alex Ferguson as he walked up to collect his winner’s medal after his side had beaten Liverpool in the 1996 FA Cup Final. Ten years later, the then United player Alan Smith broke his leg during the fixture in an innocuous tackle and the ambulance carrying him to hospital was attacked.
Incidents like those, no matter how rare, are unacceptable and can’t be justified by the fact that these are two football clubs who loathe each other. The players are aware of the rivalry, with the locals on each side quick to ensure that the foreign imports understand the significance of the fixture beyond the scrap for league points.
Steven Gerrard collects football shirts from all over the globe that he has swapped with opponents. He doesn’t however have a Manchester United one, having publicly stated that he would never have a Man United shirt in his house! This is a game in which it’s not only the supporters who don’t forgive an off day!
The teams go into Sunday’s contest in two very different veins of form. Since the Burnley defeat Man Utd have played ten games in all competitions, winning nine and drawing one. Liverpool are having a dreadful time of it at the moment but a win on Sunday could be the kick start that their season needs. There’s an old saying amongst football managers that you’re always three consecutive defeats away from the sack. Rafael Benitez could lose his fifth game on the spin on Sunday and if he does, then the pressure will really be on.
Anfield has not been a fortress of late in this fixture. Last year Liverpool did the double over United, winning 2-1 at home and delivering an amazing 4-1 come-from-behind victory on the road. However, prior to last season they had not beaten United in six attempts at Anfield. Indeed, since the inception of the Premier League, Liverpool have won less than 25 per cent of their home games against United.
Liverpool are 3.05, United 2.6 and the draw is 3.35. Given both team’s form, that looks a very big price for Sir Alex’s men and it seems the market is loaded with sentiment. Most neutrals (myself included) will be hoping Liverpool win to get their season back on track and that is probably why the Anfield outfit are such a short price. So much depends on the team sheet and in particular two names that have to be on Liverpool’s – Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. With those two in the side, Liverpool need fear no one.
If Liverpool lose, the doom and gloom merchants will be telling us that it is the end of Liverpool’s season. It won’t be, but it could well signal the beginning of the end of Rafael Benitez’s reign!
