There are numerous great rivalries that have defined English football, but the biggest of them all is undoubtedly between Liverpool and Manchester United, the two most successful clubs in the nation's history.
The rivalry between those two great teams is storied, fuelled not only by the football on the pitch, but also due to the close proximity of the cities of Liverpool and Manchester, with economic and industrial competitiveness a leading reason as to why the relationship between both sets of supporters is frayed.
It will come as no surprise that there has not been a direct transfer from either club since Phil Chisnall left the Red Devils to join the Merseysiders in April 1964 for a fee of £25,000.
The fist ever contest came more than a century ago, with Liverpool winning 2-0 at Ewood Park in 1894, and the clubs have clashed on 245 occasions, spanning numerous competitions.
Victory for either is hugely significant for their respective supporters, as while the two teams may not always be competing for major honours, a triumph in this fixture affords the winning fanbase bragging rights and a sense of pride.
In this article, we look at the origin of the rivalry, its history and why it remains such a pivotal fixture in the English football calendar.
History and origin of Liverpool vs Man United
To understand how the rivalry between Liverpool and United began, it is important to note that Liverpool and Manchester are both port cities.
Liverpool had been considered one of England's leading cities for some time prior to the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, with the region a key front for the British Empire's trade.
The canal was strongly opposed by workers, politicians and businesses in Liverpool, with those groups claiming that they would be negatively impacted, but the project's completion was key in stoking tensions between the populations of the two areas.
Tension between labourers and businesses started in the 18th century and haved continued into the 21st, though the period after the Second World War saw both cities undergo damaging economic declines, in part due to the collapse of the British manufacturing industry, but also because of the political choices of leaders such as Margaret Thatcher in the late 20th century.
Why are the clubs rivals on the pitch?
The Manchester Ship Canal's construction was completed only months before Liverpool and Man United – known as Newton Heath at the time – would first meet, and that encounter was truly the spark for England's greatest rivalry.
The Red Devils lost 2-0, and would be relegated to the Second Division, whereas the Merseysiders earned promotion from the second tier.
Liverpool and United experienced instability up until the early post-war period in the 20th century, with both suffering relegations and earning promotions, but the two sides become direct competitors for the top honours in the 60s, sharing four league titles between 1964 and 1967.
It should be noted that the Red Devils found success under the management of former Liverpool captain Sir Matt Busby, who guided the club to eight major trophies in the 50s and 60s.
United's title win in 1967 would be their last for 26 years, with Liverpool emerging as the dominant force in Europe and in England, winning eight top-flight crowns and four European Cups between the 1972-23 and 1989-90 campaigns.
The Merseysiders would have to wait until 2019-20 to win another league title, and the end of their dominance in England coincided with the rise of United under Sir Alex Ferguson, whose 13 Premier League titles put the club ahead of Liverpool when it came to overall top-flight titles (20 to 18).
Liverpool have since won two league titles and have matched their rivals' record, and their success under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot has put them ahead in terms of overall trophies, with the Reds having won 69 trophies to United's 68.
Head-to-head record between Liverpool and Man United
The most recent clash between the two clubs came at Anfield in October 19, 2025, a game in which Man United emerged as deserving 2-1 winners at the home of the Reds.
That victory extended the Red Devils' lead in the head-to-head record between the two, with their 92 wins more than Liverpool's 82, while there have been a further 71 stalemates.
Key matches and iconic Liverpool vs Man United fixtures
Liverpool 1–2 Man United (May 21, 1977)
The two sides met for the first time in a major final in May 1977, with the FA Cup the reward for the winner at Wembley.
United broke the deadlock in the 51st minute through Stuart Pearson, and while Liverpool levelled moments later, James Greenhoff scored in the 55th minute to give United a 2-1 win.
Liverpool 2-1 Man United (March 26, 1983)
In legendary manager Bob Paisley's final season as Liverpool boss, his side faced Manchester United at Wembley in the 1983 League Cup final.
The Reds emerged as 2-1 winners against the Red Devils, overturning a 12th-minute deficit with goals in the 75th and 98th minutes.
Liverpool 0–1 Man United (May 11, 1996)
Man United met Liverpool at Wembley in the FA Cup final in May 1996, and they would go on to beat their Merseyside opponents 1-0 thanks to a goal from Eric Cantona in the 85th minute.
The win was made even sweeter by the fact the club had won their third league title in four years days prior.
Man United 0-5 Liverpool (October 24, 2021)
United welcomed their fiercest rivals to Old Trafford in October 2021, but the theatre of dreams was the staging ground for a nightmare, with Liverpool winning 5-0 courtesy of a Mohamed Salah hat-trick.
That win was United's heaviest ever home defeat against the Reds, and though he was not sacked until November that year, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer side's loss at Old Trafford marked the beginning of the end of his tenure.
Liverpool 7–0 Man United (March 3, 2023)
Liverpool's dominance in recent years against United saw them earn several memorable results, though few will be remembered as fondly as their 7-0 win at Anfield in March 2023.
Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah all scored a brace, before striker Roberto Firmino netted the side's seventh, giving Liverpool their biggest ever competitive win against United.
Notable records in Liverpool vs Man United
Highest-scoring fixture
Though fans might think Liverpool's 7-0 win against United in 2023 is the highest-scoring game in this fixture, the club's 7-4 win on March 25, 1908 saw four more goals scored.
Biggest winning margin
It perhaps comes as no surprise that Liverpool boast the biggest winning margin having beaten United 7-0 at Anfield in 2023.
United's biggest victory came in the First Division on May 5, 1928, with the club winning 6-1 at home.
Highest goalscorers
Mohamed Salah stands alone as this fixture's highest scorer having netted an incredible 16 times in 18 games for the Merseysiders
George Wall and Steven Gerrard rank joint second with nine goals for United and Liverpool respectively.
Most appearances
Ryan Giggs boasts the record for the most appearances in this matchup, featuring for Manchester United a staggering 48 times across a career spanning 24 years.
Hat-tricks
Dirk Kuyt (2011) and Mohamed Salah (2021) are the only Liverpool players in Premier League history to score hat-tricks against Man United.
Dimitar Berbatov's hat-trick against Liverpool in 2010 was the first time a United player had scored three goals against the Merseysiders in 64 years.