Leaders Liverpool host Manchester United on Sunday in the latest instalment of one of the most iconic fixtures in football. Here, football writer Adrian Kajumba selects some of the standout games, goals and incidents the two sides have produced when they have met in the Premier League.
Liverpool's sensational comeback - January 1994
One of football’s most eagerly-anticipated matches certainly lived up to the hype in the Premier League’s second season, thanks to an epic Liverpool comeback.
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Defending champions Man Utd were on course for a statement win as they raced into a dream 3-0 lead at Anfield inside just 24 minutes.
Two of the goals were especially memorable, a Ryan Giggs chip and Denis Irwin’s inch-perfect free-kick.
But Liverpool hit back immediately and by half-time Nigel Clough’s double had pulled the score back to 3-2.
Defender Neil Ruddock then completed the thrilling Liverpool comeback with a brave header with 11 minutes left of normal time left.
Riise’s stunning free-kick - November 2001
Long-range screamers became John Arne Riise’s trademark in his seven years as a Liverpool player.
One of his most famous came against Man Utd at Anfield and, arriving only months after he arrived in England, it was an early step on the Norwegian's way to earning cult status.
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Riise had provided glimpses of his ferocious shooting power, not least in scoring his second Premier League goal in a 2-0 win at Newcastle United in September 2001.
Hence, there was a buzz building as he loitered while Liverpool, already leading 1-0, set up a 39th-minute free-kick against Man Utd.
Riise did not disappoint. From almost 30 yards, he unleashed a stunning shot that cannoned in off the crossbar and doubled Liverpool's advantage in an eventual 3-1 win over their biggest rivals.
"Out of all the goals I’ve ever scored, that’s my favourite because of the opponents, the timing of it and how I hit that ball," he said.
O’Shea’s last-gasp Anfield winner - March 2007
Gary Neville may have had the longer and more decorated Man Utd career - but he would love to have had a big moment like the one fellow defender John O’Shea enjoyed at Anfield.
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O’Shea was the Red Devils' unlikely hero when he lashed a late winner into the roof of the net to earn the visitors a vital 1-0 victory on their way to the 2006/07 title, minutes after they had been reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of Paul Scholes.
O'Shea's late winner
Ahead of Liverpool v #MUFC, over half of you voted John O'Shea's winner at Anfield in 2007 as his United highlight - good choice! pic.twitter.com/Huj31PIqGh
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 13, 2017
"The 90th minute at Anfield, in front of the Kop... Gary Neville's just told me that is his dream and I've just gone and done it!” said an ecstatic O'Shea.
Gerrard’s camera kiss - March 2009
Liverpool’s 2009 trip to Old Trafford was memorable for more than just the result - a 4-1 away win, United's heaviest home defeat for 17 years.
It was also the day an unforgettable celebration was born.
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After scoring his penalty, Steven Gerrard ran to a nearby live TV camera and kissed it.
He repeated the gesture after netting another spot-kick in Liverpool’s next win at Man Utd five years later, a 3-0 success in March 2014.
Trent Alexander-Arnold then copied it after finding the net at Old Trafford in another 3-0 Liverpool win in September 2024.
Alexander-Arnold’s tribute was ultimately in vain as his goal was ruled out for offside in the build-up but his attempted recreation underlined how iconic Gerrard’s celebration had become for Liverpool players and fans in this rivalry.
"It just happened off the cuff," Gerrard explained to BBC Radio 5 Live. "It’s become a little bit of a wind-up for the Mancunians because they’ve given me so much stick over the years."
Hat-trick hero Berbatov - September 2010
Dimitar Berbatov had underwhelmed a little in his first two seasons at Man Utd, following his deadline-day transfer from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008.
Four goals in his first five appearances of 2010/11, though, suggested a corner had been turned.
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"I think we are being rewarded this season for our confidence in a player who has a touch of genius about him," Sir Alex Ferguson said in his programme notes for Liverpool's September 2010 visit.
Those words proved to be prophetic as Berbatov produced a masterclass which secured him legendary status, as he became the first Man Utd player since Stan Pearson in 1946/47 to score a hat-trick against Liverpool.
Berbatov's brilliant treble
Berbatov’s afternoon was bookended by headed goals. Sandwiched in between was one of the great goals in this fixture’s history, a brilliant overhead kick that bounced in off the crossbar after he teed up his magic moment by controlling Nani’s cross on his thigh.
Speaking after Man Utd's 3-2 win, a delighted Berbatov told the club's official website : "A hat-trick, at Old Trafford, against Liverpool, to win the game. Perfect."
Kuyt’s close-range hat-trick - March 2011
Nobody has scored a simpler Premier League hat-trick than Dirk Kuyt, but as Kuyt said himself, "they all count."
And when the goals in question win a match for Liverpool against Man Utd they are fully deserving of their place in the club’s folklore.
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That was the case for Kuyt whose treble to secure a 3-1 win - the first in the league by a Liverpool player against Man Utd for 21 years - was scored from a combined distance of 8.54 yards, the shortest distance required for a hat-trick in Premier League history.
Kuyt tapped in his first on the goal-line after an incredible twisting run past four Red Devils defenders by Luis Suarez, who the Dutchman rightly thanked for his role in a famous day.
Kuyt in the right place
Classic @Kuyt. pic.twitter.com/hWqdczEHhF
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 13, 2017
Kuyt nodded in his second goal from five yards before poking in his hat-trick clincher from close range after Edwin van der Sar spilled Suarez’s free-kick.
"Although it was a hat-trick from a very short distance, I’m still very happy with it," said Kuyt. "When you come to Liverpool and see so many fans, they still remind you of that game against United when you scored a hat-trick and we won. That’s when you know what kind of dream you lived.”
Mata’s double, Gerrard’s instant red card - March 2015
This was a day of contrasting emotions and memories for Man Utd and Liverpool, top-four rivals at the time.
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For the visitors, it was a joyous occasion after two Juan Mata goals earned them an always welcome win at Anfield.
The second was one of United’s best goals ever at Liverpool's ground, on what Mata recalls as "one of my best days as a Manchester United player" - a stunning scissor kick to help Louis van Gaal’s side on their way to a 2-1 win.
For Liverpool and Gerrard, it was an afternoon to forget. The midfielder was into his final months at Liverpool and this was his last match against one of the teams he wanted to beat the most, alongside Everton.
"Wounded, frustrated and angry" after being left out of the starting line-up by manager Brendan Rodgers, and further annoyed by Liverpool’s passive first-half performance, Gerrard vented all of those pent-up feelings on the pitch following his introduction as a half-time substitute.
After flying forcefully into a challenge on Mata, Gerrard then appeared to stamp on Ander Herrera and was sent off just 38 seconds after coming on.
Gerrard fronted up after the game, apologising for letting his team-mates, manager and fans down and admitting the referee's red-card decision was right.
He added in his autobiography, My Story: "When my emotions are at their highest, and the outcome of the match against fierce local rivals matters most, I’m always closest to the red zone - and the red card."
Martial’s dream debut goal - September 2015
"Wayne Rooney came to speak to me and asked who Anthony Martial was, because the English press started to speak," said former Man Utd midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, revealing something about the dressing-room reaction as rumours about his fellow Frenchman's arrival at Old Trafford gathered pace.
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Martial eventually became Man Utd’s biggest signing of the 2015 summer window, with the initial transfer fee, reported to be £36 million, making him the most expensive teenager in British football at the time.
Man Utd fans were largely unfamiliar with him at the time, but he could hardly have picked a better way to formally introduce himself to them - by scoring on his debut at Old Trafford, against Liverpool.
Two minutes after the visitors had halved United’s 2-0 lead to seemingly set up a grandstand finish, Martial settled any nerves in the stands with a fairytale solo goal.
Martial's debut goal
"Welcome to Manchester United, Anthony Martial!" 🔴Who remembers this debut goal from Martial? 👀 pic.twitter.com/XxwrwqTCDX
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 28, 2024
After latching onto Ashley Young’s pass down the left, Martial drove at and then beat Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel, before slotting the ball expertly past Simon Mignolet in the 86th minute to lift the roof off Old Trafford.
And after that goal, on such a huge occasion, it felt like the whole world now knew who Martial was.
Salah’s Old Trafford hat-trick - October 2021
Mohamed Salah has scored more goals against Man Utd than any other opponent - 15 goals in 16 appearances, in all competitions.
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A fifth of that tally came on one brilliant afternoon for Liverpool’s talisman when he scored three goals and also grabbed an assist at Old Trafford in a ruthless 5-0 thrashing of a sorry Man Utd side who also had Paul Pogba sent off in the 60th minute.
It was one of Salah’s most match-defining displays against Liverpool’s old foes and a haul that sent records tumbling.
Impressively, Salah became the first opposition player to score a Premier League hat-trick at Old Trafford, underlining the significance of his exploits.
He also passed Didier Drogba’s total of 104 goals, to become the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history.
Salah also became the first Liverpool player to score in 10 successive matches, and three consecutive meetings between the clubs at Old Trafford.
Liverpool were 4-0 up at half-time and Salah revealed the talk among his team-mates at the break was "that we need to write history," as such opportunities do not come around often.
He certainly did that individually on this memorable afternoon.
Seven-goal Liverpool run riot - March 2023
A week after their Carabao Cup final victory against Newcastle United which increased belief that brighter days were ahead under Erik ten Hag, Man Utd were brought back down to earth in historic and humiliating fashion at Liverpool.
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Jurgen Klopp’s side ran riot in a remarkable rout, subjecting Man Utd to their heaviest ever Premier League defeat.
The visitors remained well in the match even after conceding the first of Cody Gakpo’s two goals just before half-time.
But then they collapsed in a manner nobody would have foreseen, though one that brought unbridled joy to the majority inside Anfield.
Liverpool scored six times in a ruthless second-half display to record their biggest competitive win against Man Utd.
"Freak result, top performance," Klopp said, accurately and succinctly summing things up.
The thrashing included significant goals for a couple of the scorers.
Salah made it 6-0 with his second of the game to pass Robbie Fowler’s total of 128 and become Liverpool’s all-time top Premier League scorer.
Roberto Firmino was a popular scorer too, as he came off the bench to make it 7-0 in his first appearance after announcing he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.
Other iconic moments...
Cantona’s return from ban - October 1995
Making his long-awaited return, from an eight-month ban for kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace fan, Eric Cantona did not disappoint the Old Trafford faithful as he set up Man Utd’s opener and scored a penalty equaliser in their 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
Carragher’s own goals - September 1999
The luckless Jamie Carragher had a day to forget as he scored two own goals to help Man Utd win 3-2 at Anfield.
Forlan becomes a Man Utd hero - December 2002
Diego Forlan earned cult-hero status and inspired a chant containing the rhyming lyrics "he came from Uruguay" and "made the Scousers cry" after his quick-fire brace earned Man Utd a 2-1 win at Liverpool.
Benitez’s “facts” rant - January 2009
Angered by comments from title-race rival Ferguson, Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez responded with a five-minute, mid-press conference rant, reading a list of "facts" from a piece of paper he produced about the Man Utd manager’s conduct.
Fans' tribute to Ronaldo’s son - April 2022
Rivalry was put to one side as fans from both clubs were in unison for a minute’s applause in a show of support for Cristiano Ronaldo, who sat out the game, following the death of his newborn son.
