Chapter 768: A Hundred Years of Grievances
Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League are definitely the most incompatible pairs of mortal enemies in world football.
There are a lot of feuds between Manchester United and Liverpool, and if you are not a Premier League fan, you have probably heard the classic quote of the most successful manager in Manchester United's history, Lord Fergus: "My greatest wish in life is to kick Liverpool off the fucking throne".
If you ask fans of these two teams which team they would like to beat the most, most fans will choose the red-coated team at the other end of Lanks East Road.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are another pair of bitter enemies, when Figo transferred from Barcelona to Real Madrid, Barcelona fans once threw pigs' heads at the traitor Figo.
This was taken as evidence that Real Madrid and Barcelona were incompatible, but no one knew that there had been no direct transfer between the Red Devils and the Reds for 46 years, with the last exchange of transfers dating back to 1964. A few years ago, Manchester United defender Heinze planned to move to Liverpool, but was threatened by the Manchester United boss to break his leg, so the transfer was abandoned.
Even if Ballon d'Or winner Owen moved from Liverpool to Real Madrid and then to Newcastle and then to Manchester United, he is still not treated well by Manchester United, so Owen was stripped of his No. 7 shirt this season, and no fan came to justice for him, or even complained.
The reason why Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC are incompatible actually has deep historical roots.
First of all, it was a confrontation between two cities, Liverpool and Manchester were only thirty-three miles apart, and at first Liverpool became one of the most developed cities in Britain with its slave trade, but Manchester was still very backward.
After the start of the Industrial Revolution, Manchester prospered rapidly due to the development of the textile industry, while Liverpool declined with the decline of the slave trade.
Secondly, most of Liverpudlian believe in Catholicism, and the people of Manchester basically believe in Protestantism, because Protestantism and Catholicism have had many fierce collisions, as the representative teams of their own region, the Red Army and the Red Devils are also crazy hatred on the field.
Then there's the rivalry in football, with the two teams being the most successful teams in England, with a total of 36 league titles won by both teams in the 100-year history of English football, with 18 each.
More coincidentally, during the League One period, Liverpool formed an absolute suppression of Manchester United, they won 18 titles, Manchester United only had seven, and during the Premier League period, Manchester United formed an absolute suppression of Liverpool, Manchester United won 11 league titles, and Liverpool did not have a single title.
With a lot of political, economic and religious grievances, it's no surprise that Manchester United and Liverpool are bitter rivals.
Compared to previous years, this season's Liverpool and Manchester United will be more intense.
Because last season, Manchester United's number of top-flight titles had just caught up with Liverpool, and only when Manchester United won another league title, surpassing Liverpool, could Ferguson's big words about kicking Liverpool off the throne become a reality.
Of course, Liverpool don't want Ferguson's dream to become a reality, and they will do everything in their power to prevent United from winning the league title themselves, even if they don't have the quality to win the league title themselves.
Manchester United won just one Carabao Cup last season, which was dubbed a failed season by United fans, but in fact compared to Liverpool, they should be able to snicker.
Liverpool only finished 7th in the league last season, the worst result in 11 years, not to mention the Champions League qualification, and even the Europa League needs to start from the third round of qualification.
This season, Liverpool fired the meritorious coach Benitez and invited the 63-year-old coach Hodgson, in the transfer market, Liverpool did not make a big move, but let go of the main defender Mascherano, although Gerrard and Torres stayed, but Liverpool in the run-in period still did not perform well, after 4 rounds, Manchester United won all four games, only ranked second on goal difference, while Liverpool only got 5 points, ranked 13th.
Manchester United and Liverpool both take this double red meeting very seriously, and in midweek at home to Rangers in the Champions League, Ferguson even did not hesitate to rotate nine players in order to get enough rest for the main players.
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson was no more than conceiving, with eight players rotated in midweek at home to Bucharest Stars, with the likes of Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Skrtel, Paulsen and Kuyt all sitting in the stands.
In the Benitez era, there would be a war of words between the two sides in every double red meeting, especially between Benitez and Ferguson.
However, Liverpool's new coach Hodgson and Ferguson have a good relationship, and they have had drinks together, Ferguson supported Hodgson to succeed Capello and picked up the whip of the England national team, Hodgson said that Ferguson is the best coach in England, so Ferguson did not attack Hodgson before the game, but continued to attack Benitez.
Ferguson bluntly said that Benitez is the main culprit of the Reds' degeneration, he spent a total of 240 million pounds in charge of Liverpool during his six years in charge, but never won the Premier League, and finally lost the Champions League place, he thinks Hodgson will be a little better than Benitez no matter what.
Although Hodgson will have to compete with Manchester United to win the 19th English top flight title first and become the first to become the first to win the first place in England after the start of the new season, Hodgson deliberately wants to weaken the hostile relationship between him and Ferguson.
Hodgson joked: "I know Sir Alex is not a Liverpool fan, but I hope he will forgive me for joining Liverpool and will continue to welcome me to drink red wine with him, maybe secretly." I've always believed that you don't have to play against other managers, it's just a fight between teams and teams, club and club. ”
Although Hodgson does not want to fight Ferguson, Hodgson does not want to win the double red club, he promised Liverpool fans that he will bring the Reds back to their former peak form as soon as possible: "I have always liked Liverpool's style of play, high speed passing and dribbling, quick counter-attacks after conceding the ball, we will continue this style, and hope to return to the subversive form as soon as possible, we did not play well in the previous games, it does not mean that we will lose the double red club, the game with Manchester United is always different, you can expect surprises." “
The two managers don't fight a war of words, but the players and fans are not so harmonious.
Ryan Giggs: "Beating Liverpool has always been what Manchester United want to do, and although we have done it many times, we have to do it again this time. “
Rooney said: "I was taught to hate Liverpool at Everton and now I hate them even more and I want to score a hat-trick in this game. ”
Manchester United's new idol Gao Xiaodong, who is now the Premier League's top scorer, is a midfielder, and he said that playing Liverpool is very exciting, it is the greatest game in the world, and he wants to help Wayne Rooney achieve his dream.
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The Liverpool players were not welcome, with Steven Gerrard saying: "At Liverpool, we were told to hate everything about Manchester United, his players, his coach, his fans, even his mascot. This competition is the time for us to prove ourselves. ”
Torres hopes the team will use this English derby to regain form and confidence: "Victory brings confidence, this double red meeting is timely and I believe we can take Old Trafford." “
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Twenty years ago, Liverpool fans taunted Manchester United, "Wait until you win 18 titles and then come to BB." Now that Manchester United have won 18 titles, Manchester United fans replied: "Wait, we're going to kick you off the throne this year." “
And the Liverpool fan replied, "You have been chasing for 20 years, and the Champions League is still two less than us, and now that your time is over, Liverpool will rise again." “
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With neither manager talking, players and fans battling each other through the media and the internet, fueled by journalists and their respective celebrities, this season's Champions League tie was already in full swing in midweek.