North-West Derby: The hype is over…
…and it is time to take a swipe. The matches between Manchester United and Liverpool have been anything but competitive in recent years and have failed to justify the buzz they generate
It is the biggest fixture in the Premier League calendar.
It involves the two most successful clubs in English football.
It serves the most predictable fare.
Yes, you heard it right!
A Manchester United against Liverpool clash has a lot of history attached to it. For the two sets of fans it is the “match up of the season” — the most awaited fixture.
The pre-match hype is palpable. The face/off generates a lot of buzz. The media goes overboard. The pundits exaggerate to the hilt. The fans get vociferous, at times violent. However, when it comes to the matches per se suffice to say they have been the most disappointing fixtures in recent years.
Manchester United and Liverpool have flattered to deceive, their meetings failing to live up to the expectations.
Last season both the encounters were drab affairs. Stalemates. The most recent match up ensured another dour draw, a goalless one at that. In fact it is for the first time since 1921 that the two rivals have drawn three consecutive league meetings.
Surprised? Well, let’s ask ourselves a simple question.
When was the last time the two teams played a memorable match? A match actually worth remembering…
I would say the 3–3 draw at Anfield in January 1994. A match in which United went 3–0 up in the opening half hour only for their hosts to hit back and secure a point.
There have been many matches since…but none as competitive, none as memorable. United have had it easy more often than not. Liverpool have dictated proceedings on a few occasions. Then, there have been those many stalemates. However, nothing that ensures (or merits) instant recall.
Comparisons to the other notable derbies, say El Clasico (Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona) or Der Klassiker (Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund), even the Derby della Madonnina (Milan vs Inter), makes it clear that the lack of competitiveness has been conspicuous.
Liverpool has been engulfed in a time-wrap for years now. Vestiges of it’s glorious past albeit cannot camouflage the grim reality of modern times, the fact that the club may have won the old First Division title on 18 occasions but is yet to open its account in the Premier League era — and that’s almost a quarter century old.
Liverpool’s last league title came in 1990. Since then they may have invested regularly in putting together solid teams but those investments have failed to compete on a consistent basis and translate into results. If only history could guarantee success then there are many English clubs that have glorious chapters in the past to seek inspiration from. Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton…even Nottingham Forest. We are aware of their plight.
One glance at the statistics presents a completely contrasting. Liverpool had a win-less run of eight matches against United between 2004 and 2008. Even as I write the Reds are well set to match that record — having drawn three and lost four of their last seven league meetings against their arch rivals.
In fact the Merseyside club has won just one of their last nine matches in all competitions against the side from Old Trafford.
Despite Liverpool’s struggle for consistency United have had problems of their own. In the post-Ferguson era they have failed to challenge for the title. In fact they haven’t been even close to their intimidating self in the last five years.
Besides, United have also been guilty of being too circumspect and giving their opponents more respect than they probably deserve.
For two years in a row now United manager Jose Mourinho has been criticized for coming to Anfield with a defensive mindset and being content with a point as opposed to playing for a result.
Mourinho’s tactics would have seemed justified if United had faced a Liverpool side consisting of the likes of Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt but not the current one. No disrespect to Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho but they are not yet the kind of players that will intimidate the opposition.
However, the Portuguese has defended his decision, at times playing down the significance of the tie per se.
“If a big game is only when you play Manchester City, or Liverpool, or Chelsea, then you have six big games a season,” Mourinho was quoted as saying ahead of a North-West derby.
“The mentality I want with my players is that every match is a big match.” Jurgen Klopp, his opposite number, has concurred more often than not.
“It is not about making it bigger than it actually is,” the German has been quoted as saying, playing down the hype surrounding the tie.
With the match-ups being anything but competitive, and the results having no impact on the title race as such, the North-West Derby is fast losing its pre-eminence and is definitely not worthy of the hype it generates.
