By Izaak Farley
Liverpool travel to Old Trafford on Sunday to face Manchester United. No matter what position both clubs find themselves in, this fixture is always fiery, always entertaining and the bragging rights is always important for both fanbases.
So, here's a look at some of the special Reds' trips to Old Trafford, hoping for more of the same on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool - September 1, 2024
Credit: This is Anfield
Arne Slot’s first season as the Liverpool boss. And he got off to a great start with a convincing 3-0 win over the Red Devils in only his 3rd game in charge. Casemiro had one of his worst games in United colours, and Liverpool managed to win possession off him twice for both of Luis Diaz's goals. Salah was different class on this day, like he normally is against United, with his goal in the 56th minute meant he scored at Old Trafford for 7 consecutive games. Trent’s early goal being disallowed was a shame, especially with how good the celebration was. The reds were still clinical on the day and a 3-0 scoreline could have been a lot uglier.
Manchester United 0-5 Liverpool - October 21, 2021
Credit: ESPN
What a season for Liverpool in terms of this derby. We beat United 9-0 on aggregate over the 2 games. But the Reds were especially clinical in this tie, with 4 of the 5-goal coming before half time.
2 goals in the first 15 minutes gave everyone a clear understanding of how the game was going to go. United had a lot of hype around that time, with Ronaldo returning and the Bruno-Pogba pair firing. That hype was put to bed early with some incredible attacking play as well as a really poor defensive structure which was evident in this game. This also highlighted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s downfall as he was sacked 3 games later.
Manchester United 2-4 Liverpool - May 13, 2021
Credit: This is Anfield
Lockdown Premier League football. What a time to be alive, no fans in stadiums, and a period in recent footy history which seems like a blur. But this game didn't disappoint again!
Jurgen Klopp’s makeshift defensive pairing of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams is a poignant throwback for the Kopites. Thrust into a fixture of immense magnitude, the duo performed admirably under pressure. Phillips, in particular, had an eventful evening; after inadvertently deflecting Bruno Fernandes’s strike into his own net to hand United the lead, the centre-back quickly made amends by setting up Diogo Jota’s deft equaliser.
From there, Liverpool’s attack took centre stage. Jota’s strike opened the floodgates, before Roberto Firmino delivered a devastating blow with a crucial brace either side of half-time. Mohamed Salah then raced clear in the dying moments to ruthlessly seal a 4-2 victory, capitalising on a notably shaky performance from United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Manchester United 1-4 Liverpool - March 14, 2009
Credit: Anfield Wrap
Widely regarded as one of Liverpool’s greatest ever Premier League away days, this 4-1 demolition of Sir Alex Ferguson's eventual champions was an afternoon of pure, breathtaking theatre. Despite falling behind to an early Cristiano Ronaldo penalty, Rafael Benítez’s side responded with devastating ferocity.
Fernando Torres famously tormented Nemanja Vidić, forcing a catastrophic error from the Serbian to equalise, before Steven Gerrard confidently dispatched a penalty to put the visitors ahead, capping it off with his iconic camera-kiss celebration. The second half saw United unravel completely.
Vidić was shown a straight red card for hauling down an advancing Gerrard, and Fábio Aurélio brilliantly curled home the resulting free-kick. Andrea Dossena then capped off the spectacular rout with an audacious late lob over Edwin van der Sar. It was a statement victory that momentarily blew the 2008–09 title race wide open and etched itself instantly into Anfield folklore.
Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool - March 16, 2014
Credit: Mirror
Liverpool returned to Old Trafford to inflict a humiliating 3-0 defeat on David Moyes’s beleaguered Manchester United. Brendan Rodgers’s swashbuckling side arrived as genuine title contenders and played with a ruthless swagger that utterly exposed the reigning champions' dramatic decline.
The match was largely defined by Steven Gerrard’s dominance from the penalty spot; the Liverpool captain coolly converted two spot-kicks and was only denied an unprecedented hat-trick of penalties by the base of the post.
To compound United's misery, their captain Nemanja Vidić was once again sent off against his fiercest rivals (5 years since that 2009 thrashing), continuing his torrid personal record in this fixture. Luis Suárez then added the finishing touch, smartly slotting home late on to accurately reflect the chasm in quality between the two sides that afternoon.
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