Manchester United take on Liverpool in one of the biggest matches on the Premier League calendar LIVE on talkSPORT.
Jurgen Klopp’s side can not afford to lose if they want to capture the league title and only a win will suffice.
A decade ago, the Reds claimed a famous victory over United and would happily repeat that result this weekend.
And it’s a match which already has eerie similarities with the one about to take place.
Back at this point in 2009, Manchester United had not been beaten in the Premier League since a defeat to Arsenal in November and were without a loss in the top flight at Old Trafford going on more than a year. Both of these statistics were emphatically altered come the final whistle.
When Cristiano Ronaldo fired in a 23rd minute penalty, it looked very much like United would be heading for another victory.
Of course, Liverpool had other ideas. They had Fernando Torres, not the Chelsea version who would be mocked as an expensive flop, this was prime Torres, when everything he touched became a goal and he helped himself to another at the expense of Nemanja Vidic.
The Serbian was hard in the tackle, a formidable defender unafraid of putting his head where others wouldn’t raise their boot. A broken nose testament to that, his tough guy reputation was well earned. No matter the consequence, keep the ball away from the net was a mantra he lived by.
But for some reason, Liverpool and Torres was his kryptonite.
Vidic was shown a record four red cards in this fixture and his second would come later on in this match.
His first mistake of the afternoon was to misjudge a clearance from Martin Skrtel. Torres hadn’t. He pounced, winning possession, Vidic face planted the turf. All he could do was watch as the Spaniard steadied himself before finishing beyond Edwin van der Sar.
A minute before the break, Torres turned provider, his clever pass caught out Patrice Evra and Steven Gerrard reacted quickest, only to be tripped; penalty.
Gerrard enjoyed the big occasions and relished matches against United. He had scored twice against them previously and would end his career with nine in total in this fixture. His third gave Liverpool the lead. The Liverpool captain celebrated in front of the away fans after planting a kiss on the camera lens.
“It’s great to score at Old Trafford after all the stick I’ve taken from United fans over the years,” he said. “It was nice to rub it in.”
In the second half the score remained 2-1; 76 minutes were on the clock, when Vidic’s woeful afternoon would reach its conclusion.
Having previously failed to deal with Torres, his efforts in containing the surging run of Gerrard proved equally futile.
Despite protesting his innocence, Alan Wiley showed him the inevitable red card and Vidic was off for the second time against Liverpool that season.
Fabio Aurelio made it 3-1 from the ensuing free-kick.
It was too much to take for those in attendance, a third goal against their bitter rivals, at home; its effects almost plague like, as the stadium quickly deserted in droves towards the nearest exit.
The remaining optimists would quickly question their decision not to join them.
Substitute Andrea Dossena, perhaps the least likely goalscorer on either side, lobbed Van der Sar with the composure of a veteran striker. Full-time quickly, and thankfully for United supporters, followed.
Like a dazed boxer who had awoken from a knockdown, Sir Alex Ferguson’s post match ramble was hard to fathom.
“It’s hard to take,” he said. “I thought we were the better team but the score doesn’t reflect that and unfortunately that’s the name of the game.
“Quite rightly when you win 4-1 at Old Trafford you deserve all the plaudits.”
Liverpool did the league double over United that season, but it yielded no league title. United would not lose again that season as they won their third consecutive Premier League trophy.
