Liverpool v Manchester United: Premier League – live! | Football

Hello. Liverpool v Manchester United is rarely a classic game, but it’s usually a memorable one. The drama, intensity and pharmaceutical grade hatred ensure that the occasion, if not always the football, sticks around in the memory bank.

There’s always a story to tell, and down the years the subject matter has been extremely diverse: racism, Riiiiseeeeeeeeeee, darts, volleyball, Tomb Raider, cigars, vomit, saliva, faeces, Missiles of Hate, Munich chants, Heysel chants, Hillsborough chants, Berbarotica, dodgy penalties, facts, tear gas, Norman Whiteside’s rampage, Michael Owen’s rampage, Nani’s tears, Paul Scholes’ boxing skills, Eric Cantona’s collar, Neil Ruddock’s stomach, badge-grabbing, camera-kissing, 38 seconds, six fingers, P45s, a six-yard hat-trick, a hat-trick of red cards in 13 months, a hat-trick of Old Trafford matchwinners in four years and, most unlikely of all, the goalsoring prowess of Gary Pallister and Andrea Dossena.

I could go on but this is a live blog, not a live book subtitled A History in 100 Objects and Moments. Suffice to say this is still the biggest rivalry in England, even though the games generally haven’t been great and the two teams have barely challenged for the title in the same season during the Premier League era. It’s happened only four times: 1995-96, 1996-97, 2001-02 and 2008-09. And only once in that time have they met when first and second in the league: 19 April 1997, when Pallister scored twice to shatter Liverpool’s title hopes.

Leicester’s win against Southampton last night means this won’t be first v second, but it has been framed exclusively in the context of the title race. Some folk are even calling it a title decider, which would ideally be a sackable offence. But it is the biggest game of the season so far, and probably the biggest between these teams since 14 March 2009, a distant time when Dossena was the scourge of Europe’s finest. He scored the final goal in Liverpool’s extraordinary 4-1 win at Old Trafford that day, which started a memorable last lap of the title race in which United’s frontrunners just managed to pip a rampant Liverpool. (By the way, Liverpool were third going into that game, so that wasn’t first v second.)

I don’t think United are realistic contenders this season, though I’ll probably change my mind if they get three points today. A win for either side would be an instant contender for statement victory of the season. Liverpool can put United in their place by beating them, ideally heavily, and knocking them off the top of the table. (Some folk have even used the word ‘perch’, which would ideally etc.) United can stimulate some significant cat/pigeon interaction by ending Liverpool’s four-year unbeaten run at Anfield.

As if the big picture wasn’t exciting enough, there are plenty of compelling subplots. Liverpool are the best team in England; United are the league leaders. Liverpool are top of the home table with 22 points from eight games; United are top of the away table with 22 points from eight games. Indeed, United haven’t lost a league game away from home since their trip to Anfield a year ago, when Mo Salah’s late goal sealed a 2-0 win and sparked an orgiastic, spine-tingling chorus of ‘We’re Gonna Win The League’.

Still want more? Well, two of the world’s best players, Thiago Alcantara and Bruno Fernandes, are playing in this fixture for the first time; and the referee Paul Tierney will be under pressure every time a defender breathes with excessive force in the penalty area.

Let’s hope it’s a rare classic. If not, no matter. We’ll still be talking about it in the morning – and probably in 20 years’ time.

Kick off, and don’t worry, it will 4.30pm.