One of the fiercest rivalries in English football, and even in World football, is the rivalry between Liverpool football club and Manchester United football club.
There is no love lost between the fans, players or managers of the two giants of club football.
A Tale of Two Cities
The origins of this rivalry point towards the rivalries of the two cities since industrial times. Liverpool and Manchester were challenging for supremacy of the north west of England. Manchester was renowned for it's excellent manufacturing capabilities, whilst Liverpool had long been a major city due to it's port.
However, once the Manchester Ship Canal was built, ships were able to bypass Liverpool to carry goods directly to Manchester. The loss in jobs in Liverpool no doubt strengthened the hostilities between the two cities.
On the Pitch
The first match between the clubs was on 12 October 1895 which Liverpool won 7-1. There have been 152 league matches. Manchester United have won 58, Liverpool 51 and there have been 43 draws.
If anything the off field rivalries between the cities have been deepened by the great successes of the two clubs. Both clubs have had periods of dominance of English soccer and each of these periods has increased the rivalry between the clubs.
During the 1970's and 80's, Liverpool dominated English Football and to some extent European Football, winning 11 league titles and 4 European Cups.
The 1990's onwards have belonged to Manchester United who also won 11 league titles as well as 2 European Cups.
Significantly in 2009, Manchester United equalled Liverpool's long standing record of having won 18 League titles overall. The team that came second was...Liverpool. The competition between the two teams reached fever pitch during this season. No more proof of this was required than the 'War of Words' between the two club managers, Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafa Benitez. The pair traded verbal blows as the season was heading to a thrilling climax.
Is this rivalry good or bad?
Well, in one sense the intensity of the rivalry spills over into deep hatred and irrational loathing not only from the fans, but from the players and managers too. Sometimes the personal insults that are thrown at each other seem to be going too far.
In another sense, however, you get the sense that it is this rivalry that really creates the massive amount of motivation to succeed. Both clubs are determined to be more successful than the other and this seeps through from the fans to the players to the manager to every person connected with the clubs. It could be argued that neither club would have been as successful as they have been without this fierce rivalry.
What of the future?
With both clubs on 18 league titles, the 2009/10 league season promises to be the most bitterly contested ever as neither team will want to live with the stigma of falling behind in the reckoning.
You can have your say on who is the greatest and also see what others think at the Football Duel.
As another season beckons, hold on to your seats and watch the next chapter of this fascinating rivalry unfold!
