Racism, red-cards, Twitter-storms, and the odd bit of football; Man United v Liverpool has it all.
The pair meet at Old Trafford this Sunday morning to renew England’s fiercest rivalry, and we’re whetting the appetite for it by looking back at some of the most iconic moments from their meetings since the turn of the century.
Plenty of passion, more than enough controversy, and a little bit of footballing magic along the way.
1. Suarez snubs Evra handshake
After racially abusing a man, it’s probably not the wisest move to try take the moral high-ground, but that’s exactly what Luis Suarez tried to do when he met Patrice Evra for the first time since his eight match ban for racism in 2012.
The Uruguayan refused to shake hands with Evra, prompting Alex Ferguson say the striker should “never be allowed to play for Liverpool” again.
And after United won the game 2-1, Evra decided to get his own back by celebrating in front of Suarez, almost starting a riot in the process.
2. Gerrard kisses the camera
The single image that will make the stomachs of every single United fan churn.
Liverpool spanked their old title rivals 4-1 at Old Trafford in 2009 to temporarily blow the title race wide open, but despite the hammering, Vidic’s red-card and Fabio Aurellio actually scoring, the most painful part of the afternoon was Steven Gerrard’s penalty to put Liverpool 2-1 ahead.
After finding the back of the net, Gerrard sprinted to the corner of the pitch, planting a slobbery kiss onto one of the match cameras, giving Sky a spontaneous moment they could forever roll out in montage after montage until the end of time.
3. Torres v Vidic
There are often mini-games in the game when Man United and Liverpool face off, and for a few seasons there was quite a running battle between Fernando Torres and Nemanja Vidic.
Well, I say battle. Torres roasted him.
Vidic always seemed to save his worst form for the meetings with Liverpool, picking up red cards in three successive meetings, and his howler allowing Torres to score the equaliser in Liverpool’s 4-1 win in 2009 was the turning point of the game.
4. Babel spins a Webb of controversy
When United beat Liverpool 1-0 in the FA Cup third round in 2011, much was made of this foul (or dive, depending on your allegiances) that resulted in United’s winning penalty in the opening minute.
Referee Howard Webb also sent Steven Gerrard off during the first half, and afterwards, Liverpool’s Ryan Babel landed himself in trouble for tweeting this photo, with the caption: “And they call him one of the best referees? That’s a joke. SMH.”
Babel picked up a fine of £10,000 for his troubles, and sparked an eternity if Howard Webb/Man United jokes in the process.
5. Mascherano sees red in more way than one
With United 1-0 ahead after Wes Brown goal, Fernando Torres got lippy with referee Steve Bennett, and picked up a yellow card for his trouble.
But Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano, who was already on a yellow, got in on the action, questioning Bennett before being shown a second yellow and a red for dissent.
Chaos ensued, with Mascherano having to be held back by teammates and Liverpool staff, ultimately killing Liverpool’s chances of a comeback as United strolled to a 3-0 win.
6. John O’Shea scored a three yard screamer
You’d be tough pressed to find a more important goal in John O’Shea’s career than his equaliser in Gelsenkirchen two months ago, but as club goals go, this was probably his most memorable.
After Liverpool had looked the more likely to score throughout the game and United down to 10 men, United had one last chance to steal three points in injury time when Cristiano Ronaldo stood over a free-kick at the edge of the area.
Pepe Reina could only parry Ronaldo’s shot, with the ball rolling kindly to O’Shea lurking three yards out, and the Waterford man fired to the roof of the net to nick the win for United, who eventually won back the title after three years without it.
7. Paul Scholes narrowly avoids decapitating Xabi Alonso
Before O’Shea had fired in United’s winner, Paul Scholes was shown the line for swinging a wild arm at the head of Xabi Alonso.
Alonso had been tugging at the ginger ninja, who reacted by turning and throwing some strange type of punch/elbow/forearm combination at the Spaniard, and although he didn’t make any contact, he was was promptly sent off.
“Attempted murder’ Now honestly what is that? Do they give out a Nobel prize for attempted chemistry?” – Sideshow Bob.
8. Perspective
For a brief moment in Liverpool’s FA Cup victory against United in 2006, both sets of fans forgot about rivalries.
With Liverpool leading 1-0 coming up to injury-time, Alan Smith fearlessly charged down a rocket of a free-kick from John Arne Riise, and the impact and awkward fall afterwards dislocated his ankle and broke his leg, an injury Alex Ferguson described as “one of the worst” he’d ever seen.
With Smith receiving lengthy treatment before eventually being stretchered off, the genuine concern and applause from both sets of fans in Anfield remains a real moments of sportsmanship in a rivalry that often tends to neglect it.
9. Gary Neville loses his sh*t
John O’Shea had the injury time winner in 2007, but it was Rio Ferdinand who struck late to seal United’s victory over their rivals in 2006.
However, despite Rio scoring a pretty decent header, it was Gary Neville’s reaction that stole the headlines.
Neville, who stayed back to defend at the time of the free-kick that Ferdinand headed in from, got a bit excited in front of the Liverpool fans, a celebration that netted him a £5,000 fine.
10. Jerzy Dudek cutting a Forlan figure
Diego Forlan was the butt of plenty of jokes in his time at United, but he had plenty to laugh about after this meeting with Liverpool in 2002.
Forlan found the net twice in three minutes, the first of which has gone down as one of the most famous goalkeeping howlers in Premier League history.
