Sir Alex Ferguson ensured United dethroned the Reds as the most successful side in England, but the Merseysiders have regained their former status
Sir Alex Ferguson was always good for a quote, and his most memorable declaration of all was when he reminded journalists of the scale of his achievement when leading Manchester United to overhaul Liverpool as the top force in English football.
It was September 2002 and United had made a worrying start to the season by losing successive games to Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United. Legendary defender Alan Hansen, who had hoisted so many titles with Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s, had suggested that Ferguson was facing the "biggest challenge" of his career.
After having the words put to him during a press conference, Ferguson instantly fired back: "My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f*cking perch. And you can print that." The words sure were printed, first on newspapers and then on t-shirts, and they were repeated over and over again every time United beat Liverpool or claimed another title.
The iconic phrase resurfaced when Ferguson's United claimed their 19th title in 2011 and officially overtook Liverpool as the team with the most English league crowns, and again in April 2013 when they made it 20 in his final season in charge before retiring.
But ever since Ferguson stepped down, Liverpool have been on the rise again. They might not have dominated English football to the extent that United did during the Scot's era, but they have racked up considerably more trophies, including the Champions League and Premier League, taking their tallies to six and 19, respectively.
They are now dangerously close to equalling United's count of 20 league titles, meaning many Red Devils fans will be hoping that Arsenal or even Manchester City come out on top in this season's enthralling three-way title race.
Liverpool have made such progress that last month, new United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe echoed Ferguson's unforgettable phrase when he said: "In the north west we have two neighbours who are really impressive football clubs. I want to knock them all off their perch."
As United prepare to face Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, GOAL charts how the Merseysiders dusted themselves off after Ferguson's assault and climbed back on to their perch, pushing their arch rivals off it in the process.
Getty1FSG ride to the rescue
Having reached two Champions League finals in three years, Liverpool entered a period of huge instability after the takeover by US tycoons George Gillet and Tom Hicks, who reneged on promises to turbo-charge Rafa Benitez's squad with new signings and instead dragged the club to the brink of administration.
Fenway Sports Group, led by Boston Red Sox owner John W Henry, rode to the rescue, purchasing the club for £300 million ($382m) in October 2010. And they oversaw a stunning transformation of Liverpool's fortunes, delivering the two most important trophies in club football within a decade.
The Americans have made some mistakes, chiefly joining the doomed European Super League, but they have generally got their decisions spot on, above all with recruitment.
AdvertisementGetty 2Signing Suarez
Luis Suarez might not have been to everyone's taste, but his win-at-all-costs mentality turned Liverpool from an aspiring side into a top team when he signed from Ajax for just £23m ($29m). He was the club's best striker since Fernando Torres, and his 31 goals in the 2013-14 season took the Reds to the brink of the title before Steven Gerrard's untimely slip against Chelsea handed the momentum back to Manchester City.
Suarez got a frosty reception from Liverpool fans when he returned to Anfield with Barcelona and then Atletico Madrid, but he unquestionably dragged the club back in the right direction, as well as allowing them to pocket £75m ($95m), more than trebling their return on their investment.
3Getting Edwards on board
Michael Edwards was an obscure figure when he joined Liverpool in 2011 as an analyst, but he would go on to shape Liverpool's glorious future like few others. Edwards worked his way up to become director of technical performance, then technical director, before being appointed Liverpool’s first-ever sporting director in 2016 and becoming one of the most influential figures during the club's most successful period in the 21st century.
Edewards was the hidden genius who, in tandem with director of research Ian Graham, helped build one of the world’s greatest football teams. He pulled off major transfer coups including signing Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Gini Wijnaldum, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Fabinho. He left Liverpool in 2022, but was so well-liked and admired that he has been brought back in an even bigger role, being named as the club's CEO of football.
Getty 4Buying and selling Coutinho
Liverpool landing Philippe Coutinho for just £8.5m ($10.8m) and selling him to Barcelona for £142m ($181m) just might be the greatest piece of transfer business in football history. Coutinho added real quality to Brendan Rodgers' side, and in half a season scored three times and set up seven goals. He was even better the following campaign, helping Liverpool go agonisingly close to the title after forming a fine understanding with fellow South American Suarez.
Coutinho outlasted Suarez and Rodgers and became a crucial part of Jurgen Klopp's initial team, contributing to 62 goals under the German and briefly forming a mouth-watering attack known as the 'Fab Four' alongside Salah, Mane and Firmino. But Liverpool reacted calmly when Barcelona came calling and invested their huge windfall in signing Van Dijk and Alisson, laying the foundations for their future Premier League and Champions League successes.