The scale of victory is measured by the merit of the vanquished. Defeating a lesser opponent draws nothing more than acceptable acclaim, for that's what was supposed to happen. It's only when matched up against the very best that winning becomes a joy in itself. In the long run, beating a rival doesn't matter any more than anyone else; but it feels like it does. As far as a points are concerned, being triumphant over Manchester United is exactly the same as a beating Wigan. For as much as it is shaped by numbers however, sport is defined by the raw emotion that surrounds them. Football is played by human beings. People with allegiances. To a colour. To a badge. To a city.
Without the beautiful game as an avenue of superiority, nothing would change. That which exists between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester would be there come what may. Hostilities between the two go back now over a hundred years, the catalyst for which is still proudly displayed on the crests of both City and United. Ironically enough however, it is the similarities between the two that sparked off what would be the purest grudge match in English football. The working class roots of both cities made both cities places where the beautiful game could thrive. From here, the two would begin a power struggle that would go on to dominate the game in this country, claiming thirty seven league titles in the process.
Football is often accused of having a sick sense of humour. During the success at Anfield in the seventies and eighties, Man United would often come and get a result. When Ferguson's men were at their best - with an iron like grip on the Premier League - Danny Murphy and John Arne Riise would spoil their fun. A few loses didn't matter to the Old Trafford faithful, they were a minor annoyance. None of it would mean anything until there was a challenge worthy of the name. Once Gerard Houllier left Liverpool, the wins dried up but despite all this, the Red Devils were not the only ones making history. A fifth Champions League title suddenly catapulted Liverpool back into the spotlight. It looked inevitable that a head on collision was coming.
It took three years for Rafael Benitez to earn a victory over Man United. The game itself was no more than any other high profile encounter but it represented a whole lot more. For a couple of seasons Liverpool had been - almost inconspicuously - preparing for a run at the top prize in English football. Although there was a huge disparity in terms of resources, this loss - for the first time in a long time - made them seem catchable. Then came the hammer blow.
March 14th 2009 could so easily have been a watershed moment in the history of the Premier League. On the back of a four goal thrashing of Real Madrid, Liverpool went to Old Trafford and gave Manchester United a beating that it looked like they'd never forget. It was the kind of defeat that would have had a lasting effect on the psyche of a lesser team, or would have been put over for years to come as the moment when Liverpool regained their throne as the top team in England had they got over the line. Regardless of how closely it was fought, all that mattered was that United were once again crowned champions. The chance had gone.
That was three and a half years ago now, and it feels like a lifetime. To have waited so long for an opportunity to go toe-to-toe with United and come out on top so emphatically only for it to count for nothing was a bitter pill to swallow. In the months that followed, trying to challenge with the top teams under the poisonous ownership of Hicks & Gillete became like trying to box with a hand tied behind your back. What happened next was the appointment of a man who was even less equipped to fight. His solitary Liverpool-Manchester derby was noticeable for the duo of Jonny Evans and John O'Shea trying to give the game away, only for Dimitar Berbatov to rescue it. The next time the two would meet, there would be royalty present.
Kenny Dalglish's first game in his second spell with Liverpool began at Old Trafford. Though it ended in defeat, it didn't matter because of the idea that Hodgson was gone and the king was back. Two months later and that joy became euphoria as Luis Suarez and Dirk Kuyt combined to put on a display that harked back to the all to brief period under Benitez where the two clubs were on equal footing. It was part of a run of form that made people really believe again at the beginning of last season. All that optimism and belief was to be unfounded. Things got even more complicated the next time United came to Anfield.
So much has already been written about what went on between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra. What it meant was that Kenny Dalglish was not only without his main goal threat, but that both the club and his name was to be dragged through the mud as a consequence. An FA Cup tie at Anfield saw hostilities ramped up even further, with a media campaign surrounding the treatment of Evra. With Suarez back into the team at Old Trafford, a 2-1 defeat only added to the headlines of a handshake that never was. This whole sorry affair was part of the reason why King Kenny is no longer with the club.
In the years that have passed since Andrea Dossena lobbed Edwin Van Der Sar, a new challenger to Alex Ferguson's dominance emerged. They too have been defined by a magnificent win at Old Trafford. For now the Premier League title seems destined for one city, the only question remains as to which half it will go. In order to once more reign supreme once again, Liverpool now have to overcome the financial might of the blue corner of Manchester, after having spent so long fighting the red contingent. While that fight is some way off, that doesn't mean anyone will take it lightly on them in the meantime.
The hierarchy at Anfield did their utmost to make sure everyone was fully aware that they were pushing the reset button in the summer. Having been pushed back in the race for a Champions League spot by a couple of years, it's going to be a long and difficult process before we're ever in that same position once more. Brendan Rodgers took this job because of that very fact. The idea of restoring this great club to to the pinnacle of English football once more, it would be enough to immortalise anyone. In order to achieve that - because of their own thirst for success and what Liverpool Football Club means to them - no-one will stand in his way and test him more than Manchester United.
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