The 213th Red War between two of the most successful British football teams of all time is about to commence. So, let us delve deep into the rich and heated history between Manchester United and Liverpool, recall some of the greatest moments and commemorate some of the greatest names in football history.
Why do Manchester United and Liverpool hate each other?
The cities of Liverpool and Manchester were pivotal to the United Kingdom’s rose to power in the Industrial Revolution. While Manchester was home to many factories and workforce, Liverpool was the UK’s gateway to the Americas and therefore received much more attention from foreign investors and tourists. But Liverpool’s dominance over the Mancunians ended with the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal in the late nineteenth century, allowing ships from the abroads to sail directly to Manchester and save costs. This led to a significant decline in Liverpool’s prosperity and a massive boost in Manchester’s wealth.
This is well-reflected in the football teams of both cities, especially Manchester United and Liverpool. The teams first met right after the Manchester Ship Canal was finished in 1894, and Liverpool managed to beat and relegated Manchester United (then known as Newton Heath). This obviously upset many Mancunians who were already not fond of the Scousers, leading to a long, hard-fought rivalry to this day.
Who is better? Manchester United or Liverpool?
This is a subjective question which merits different methods of assessment. Firstly, let us discuss the success of each team when they face each other. Then, we can take a look at each team’s domestic and international honours.
Manchester United and Liverpool’s head-to-head record
Out of the past 212 match-ups, Manchester United have prevailed more, winning 82 of them compared to Liverpool’s 71. This trend is further reflected in league and FA Cup matches, with United victorious in 69 and 10 matches respectively. Interestingly, despite both sides’ long history and decent success in Europe, the pair have met only once in the 2015/2016 Europa League knockout stage, where Liverpool won 3-1 on aggregate.
Total head-to-head stats
- League: Manchester United 69 – Liverpool 61
- FA Cup: Manchester United 10 – Liverpool 5
- League Cup: Manchester United 2 – Liverpool 3
- European tournaments: Manchester United 0 – Liverpool 1
- Charity Shields: Manchester United 1 – Liverpool 1
- Play-offs: Manchester United 0 – Liverpool 1
Total: United 82 – Liverpool 71
Manchester United and Liverpool’s trophies
This tally is still very much active and contested by both teams. Manchester United’s 2023 Carabao Cup win meant they tied Liverpool at 67 major honours won, but Liverpool’s victory in the 2024 edition gave them the lead back. Domestically, Manchester United has won five more trophies, but when it comes to European glory, they have quite a long way to catch Liverpool.
Can either Liverpool or Manchester United win any more trophies this year? Will Liverpool win the 2024 Premier League? Will Manchester United bounce back to their glory days? Place your bets now at fun88.
Total trophies
- League titles: Manchester United 20 – Liverpool 19
- FA Cups: Manchester United 12 – Liverpool 8
- League Cups: Manchester United 6 – Liverpool 10
- Community Shield: Manchester United 21 – Liverpool 16
- European titles: Manchester United 6 – Liverpool 13
- Others: Manchester United 2 – Liverpool 2
Domestic total: Manchester United 59 – Liverpool 54
Grand total: Manchester United 67 – Liverpool 68
Stats
Despite having only played 12 times against Manchester United, Mohamed Salah has already scored 12 goals, including seven in his last five outings against the Red Devils. This made him the fixture’s all-time top scorer, and he could still add a few more.
Since their victory on January 17, 2016, Manchester United have only scored once at Anfield (2018/19 by Jesse Lingard) but they have conceded sixteen times, including 4-0 in 2022 and 7-0 in 2023. In fact, they have not scored a goal for five consecutive visits now, already their longest-ever drought.
With the fixture to be repeated once more in the quarter-finals of this year’s FA Cup, 2024 is the first year since 2021 that will see more than the domestic league fixture played.
