Michael Carrick believes Manchester United against Liverpool is still the biggest draw in English football – even though neither side can win the Premier League title.
Third-placed United host arch rivals Liverpool, a place below them, at Old Trafford on Sunday, while top two Manchester City and Arsenal continue to slug it out for the title.
Despite the fact United have not won the title since 2013 - when Sir Alex Ferguson retired – and Liverpool have only been champions twice since then, Red Devils head coach Carrick reckons clashes between the two sides remain the “stand-out” fixture in the English game, with the rivals locked together on 20 league titles each.
“It's certainly one of my favourite games, yeah, without doubt,” said Carrick. “It's a stand-out game. There's big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams, but certainly this one is right up there in the history, the ups and downs that past has produced in these types of games and the excitement, entertainment and the emotion, which is a huge part of it. It makes it a really special game.
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“I think it's just that edge in that competition, really. Irrespective of the league positions, over the years, of who's been on top at certain times or whatever, it's never really changed the feeling of the game and the emotion and the supporters.
“I think it's really about appreciating what it means to the supporters. I think we have to do that. It's just a special game to be a part of and obviously to come out on top is one of the best feelings you'll get.
“It's a real privilege for all of us to be involved in it, in whatever capacity. I think that's the beauty of football, though, in the end. We all get wound up, at times, in different ways about what's going on week to week, from club to club, and the ups and downs, but talking about a career as an individual, sustaining a career, but to sustain a level of performance over a period of time for each football club.
“And then I also think there's a way of how you do it as well, you know, and what the standards look like, what it means, what the behaviours are and what you stand for as a football club. In that sense, I think it's two incredible, incredible football clubs. And to be so close together in so many ways, with titles and geographically, not far away, I think to have such an impact for such a period of time is quite special and I all think we appreciate that.”
The last time United and Liverpool competed for the league title against each other was back in 2009, when Ferguson's side edged out Rafa Benitez's side by four points to make it a hat-trick of Premier League triumphs on the spin.
Since then, United have been in turmoil, their best showing two second-placed finishes, under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for the title under Jurgen Klopp, winning it again last year in Arne Slot's first season in charge.
Victory over Liverpool on Sunday would confirm United's return to the Champions League next season after an absence of two years and give them a major chance of finishing above their biggest rivals for the first time in three years, with Carrick determined to build on his impressive start in the job, which has put him in pole position to land it on a permanent basis this summer.
“I just think it probably shows the improvements of the group really and getting stronger,” said Carrick. “To be coming into this game in such a good position on the back of good results and trying to achieve and move forward, so [we're] fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us, but that's not something really we've focused on going into this game.
“I think it's a one-off game, they've got some terrific players, they're a good team, they won the league last year and obviously we respect that goes into a game like this. So we're treating it as that, as a one-off game. The league position is what it is, but Sunday's a whole different ball game.”
Topics: Manchester United, Liverpool, Premier League
David McDonnell