High Press Episode 10: Is Liverpool vs Manchester United still the biggest game in English football?

High Press Episode 10:

With Liverpool hosting Manchester United this Sunday, Episode 10 of High Press looks back at the history of the fixture and how the relationship between the two clubs has changed.

Manchester United’s glory days

Host Alison Bender is joined by Mark Ogden, Ollie Holt and Steve Bates to reminisce and analyse one of the greatest fixtures in world football.
Ogden begins the episode with a fond look back at the Alex Ferguson era, even recounting a couple of Ferguson’s tells for when he was going to unleash the hairdryer. Bender and Bates touch on why United attract such attention when things are going poorly compared to other teams.

Bender describes Ferguson’s last home match as one of the ‘most exciting experiences’ of her life. Holt adds that United have not fixed their ‘crisis of identity’ since Ferguson retired in 2013.

On a similar note, Ogden says, “They’ve lost the swagger, there’s no personality, no character. None of the players now would get anywhere near to the teams of the Ferguson era because they haven’t got that character, that toughness.”

Looking at the decade post-Ferguson, Ogden adds, “I don’t think ten Hag has the personality to manage Manchester United. I don’t think any of them have since Ferguson.

Jurgen Klopp at Man Utd

Jurgen Klopp would have had – he would have been the perfect manager for Man United.”
With the conversation moving towards Sunday’s showdown, Holt says, “Traditionally, and certainly in my lifetime, it’s been the biggest fixture in English football. That really has continued despite the fluctuating fortunes of the teams over time.

First memories

Holt then delivers an anecdote about attending matches as a fan, recounting the 1985 FA Cup semi-final between the two sides.
Bates even suggests that United could be heading for a 30-year league title drought like Liverpool suffered until 2020.

“For some of United’s [former] players in the media spotlight, I think they’re fearing something similar could happen to United if they don’t arrest the decline on and off the football pitch.”

The rivalry has changed

Having reflected on the intensity of the rivalry in the past, Ogden believes it has softened.
“The rivalry has changed. It’s not as intense as it was because Man City have got involved. Liverpool fans will never want to say they worry about City more than United, but they do. That’s the game that they look forward to now, that’s the game that matters for their ambitions…

“The vibe I get from fans of both clubs now is they both actually respect each other a lot more because they’re these institutions that have been doing it for a hundred years, and almost have this togetherness because they’re not Man City.”

After touching on the criticisms from Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, Holt criticises United’s work rate, claiming they simply don’t work as hard as Manchester City and Liverpool ‘as a collective’.

Who is the bigger club – Liverpool or Man Utd?

The episode concludes with a discussion of Klopp’s Liverpool legacy and the panel pick whether Liverpool or Manchester United are the bigger club.
Is this still English football’s biggest fixture? Let us know your thoughts…

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