The greatest rivalry in English Club Football

Every year when the fixture list comes out for the new season, the first thing a fan does is look at when their team is playing their fiercest rivals. The next thing they do is to tell the girlfriend, wife or fiancé that under any circumstances nothing is to happen on the day of that fixture.

For me that fixture has arrived this weekend. Liverpool v Manchester United. The two most successful clubs in England will be, at 12:45pm do battle on the hallowed turf of Anfield.

Without a bias opinion, for me this is the biggest fixture in a Premier League season. No doubt the Manchester derby and the Merseyside derby are just has hostile and intense fixtures, but neither live up to the hype and excitement as Saturday’s fixture. After all millions of Football fans around the world will tune into watch this match.

When 12:00pm strikes on Saturday I, until 2:30pm will otherwise be engaged. Obviously after that time I hope and wish to come away with a huge smile on my face and, until the reverse fixture hold the bragging rights.

I personally feel that this weekend is and will be the biggest fixture in Liverpool’s season. Liverpool are already playing catch up to United’s impressive start to the season and if they have any hope of pushing for a ‘top 4’ finish or even the title they need to take points of United this weekend.

Do I feel Liverpool can do it? Honestly yes, but it will be one tough ask and they will need to play a lot better than they have been doing this season. With Steven Gerrard appearing to be back to full fitness and with the previous record of success in this fixture I feel Liverpool can surprise United.

If Liverpool play like they have been doing of late, scraping results against ordinary sides and if United play with the same fluency and arrogance that they have been doing I can see an embarrassing score line for Reds fans.

Fergie seems to have brilliantly assembled a young team together that play with such chemistry. The new signings of Young and Jones seem to add to the talent they already have and with the likes of Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck coming through, United look as good as or better than last year.

Manchester City will be taking a keen interest on proceedings at Anfield and just for a few hours Roberto Mancini may just be supporting Dalglish’s men. If Liverpool do take all 3 points away this weekend it will swing the title race wide open and give the likes of City and Chelsea the chance to push for top spot.

Both sides have a few players that have never played in this fixture before. For the Liverpool new lads the derby win against Everton may have made them realise the importance of these types of games in Liverpool’s season and towards the fans. Come on you Reds!!!!

Daniel Clark