Such a visceral dislike can be deconstructed, two teams packed with world-class players compared and analysed, two cities' place in English football's firmament assessed, but in the end it comes down to two numbers: 19-18. Their significance should be immediately apparent to followers of Manchester United and Liverpool.
The Merseysiders' record of 18 league titles has stood since 1990, a year when Sir Alex Ferguson won his first trophy in England in a season featuring calls for his dismissal from some supporters. Two decades on, he stands on the brink of rebranding Manchester United as the most successful club in the history of the English league. Last year's triumph levelled the scores at 18-18. The next has an added importance. Given the sheer longevity required to accomplish it, displacing Liverpool would rank as the Scot's greatest achievement yet.
For a manager who once pronounced his mission was to "knock Liverpool off their f****** perch" and for his Scouser-baiting club captain, Gary Neville, it is personal. For Ferguson, everything is. He was not born and bred into this rivalry, but nonetheless feels it more than many Mancunians.
"It's hard to match this game in terms of intensity," he said. "There is hatred in the air. But for us it's about trying to win another championship and leaving a legacy, players who can carry on the tradition of the club."
Liverpool's traditions bring a different meaning at Old Trafford since a statement Rafa Benitez, the Liverpool manager, directed at United 14 months ago. The list of supposed facts that has become known as "Rafa's rant" was directed purely at Ferguson. Since then, United fans have delighted in assertions of superiority, punctuated with the word "fact".
But while they have won the war, Liverpool have prospered in the battles. Benitez's men have won the last three meetings dramatically and, in the last two, emphatically. Now their objectives are varied: securing fourth place, halting the United juggernaut and, in protecting their own proud record, enable Arsenal or even Chelsea, scarcely a popular club at Anfield, to finish first.
If feels wrong to demote United versus Liverpool, still the country's marque clash, to secondary importance to the title race, it is a match bursting with subplots that could determine both.
The most potent player in the country is a Liverpudlian and he, Wayne Rooney, is United's talisman. Liverpool's homegrown bastion of excellence, Steven Gerrard, is fortunate to be eligible after a forearm smash on Portsmouth's Michael Brown on Monday went unpunished, though not unnoticed by Ferguson.
Gerrard versus Rio Ferdinand is England's latest captain against their official leader. Fernando Torres versus Nemanja Vidic is, for the otherwise fearless Serb, painful. Tormented by the quicksilver Spaniard, he has been dismissed in each of the last three meetings. The 4-1 victory at Old Trafford last season was particularly harrowing for Ferguson. "It's embarrassing to even think about the goals we conceded," he said. "It was terrible to watch it again. The whole thing was ridiculous."
The roll of dishonour included the rest of the United defence that day. In this fixture's past, Javier Mascherano also has a prominent part. And to complete a busy afternoon for referee Howard Webb there is the Neville factor. Brother of the captain of Everton, the United captain has defined himself as the fan on the pitch and has a chant celebrating his hatred of Scousers.
A still more decorated veteran, Ryan Giggs, could return for United after a month out with a broken arm. Ferguson must decide, too, whether to recall Paul Scholes and revert from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3.
For Benitez, the choice is between attrition and aggression. He cast caution aside against Portsmouth on Monday, fielding Ryan Babel and Alberto Aquilani in his starting line-up. The solidity Dirk Kuyt and Lucas Leiva offer may get them the vote instead.
For a manager who aimed to overhaul United this season, the worst-case scenario is that defeat to them renders him a lame duck. Indeed, the consequences of defeat for Liverpool could be huge, the reward for victory still bigger for United. Liverpool won 2-0 in October, 4-1 last March, 2-1 in September 2008. While it sounds more like a scoreline in rugby than football, the issue now is whether it will be 19-18 in May.
sports@thenational.ae
Manchester United v Liverpool, 5.30pm, Showsports 1 & 2
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
Head-to-head at Wimbledon
Federer 1-0 Cilic
Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
Best Wimbledon performance
Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
TOURNAMENT INFO
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Thursday results
UAE beat Kuwait by 86 runs
Qatar beat Bahrain by five wickets
Saudi Arabia beat Maldives by 35 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, third-place playoff – Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
3pm, final – UAE v Qatar
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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More from Aya Iskandarani
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Results
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
